Pope Leo Urges Peace In Easter Mass

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Leo XIV has celebrated his first Easter Mass as pontiff, urging peace through dialogue and calling for an end to conflicts worldwide. He departed from tradition by not listing global woes in his Urbi et Orbi blessing. Leo, the first U.S.-born pope, emphasized Easter’s message of hope and transformation. With ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, he acknowledges indifference to the suffering caused by wars. Leo announced a prayer vigil for peace on April 11. In the Holy Land, Easter celebrations are subdued due to restrictions on public gatherings, while Gazan Christians celebrated the first Easter since a ceasefire. Armenian Christians gathered in the Iranian capital during the fifth week of war.