Pope Leo XIV Urges Peace on Easter

0:00It's April 5th. This is Global News today, AI-powered stories shaping the world. I'm Cory with the story. Pope Leo XIV, the first United States-born pope, marked his first Easter Mass with a strong push for peace. From St. Peter's Basilica, he urged everyone with weapons to lay them down and leaders to pick dialogue over war. He skipped the usual tradition of naming specific global conflicts and his Erby at Orby blessing, focusing instead on Easter's hope from Jesus' resurrection. This came amid the second month of the United States in Israel's war on Iran, plus Russia's ongoing fight in Ukraine. Leo called out the world's indifference to thousands of deaths, hatred's fallout, and the economic hits from these battles. He echoed his predecessor, Pope Francis' words on humanity's thirst for killing. On 50,000 faithful pact, St. Peter's Square, for the open air mass, surrounded by spring flowers. Leo preached holding on to hope against death from abuses, profit greed, and war's destruction.

1:02He announced a prayer vigil for peace on April 11th, inside the Basilica. Leo revived some traditions too, like greeting crowds in 10 languages including Arabic and Chinese, washing priests' feet on Holy Thursday, and carrying the full way of the cross on Good Friday. Meanwhile, Easter felt subdued in the Holy Land, with restrictions at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, due to missile threats, straining ties with Israeli police. In Iran, Armenian Christians kept celebrations going at their Tehran Cathedral, praying for the wars and and normalcy for kids caught in the chaos. Leo's message lingers as a call to transform hearts toward real peace.