Pope Leo Urges End to Wars in Easter Message

AP

Pope Leo.

Pope Leo urged world leaders to bring an end to conflicts around the globe in his Easter message on Sunday, calling for the abandonment of ambitions of power, conquest, and domination.

In a message delivered to thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Leo said that people "are growing accustomed to violence, resigning ourselves to it, and becoming indifferent".

"Let those who have weapons lay them down!" the first U.S. pope exhorted. "Let those who have the power to unleash wars ⁠choose peace!"

The pope said that the story of Easter, when the Bible says Jesus rose from the dead three days after not resisting his execution by crucifixion, shows that Christ was "entirely nonviolent".

"On this day of celebration, let us abandon every desire for conflict, domination, and power, and implore the Lord to grant his peace to a world ravaged ‌by ⁠wars," Pope Leo urged.

Pope Leo has been forcefully decrying the world's violent conflicts in recent weeks and ramping up his criticism of the Iran war.

In a sermon for the Easter vigil on Saturday night, he urged people not to feel numbed ⁠by the scope of the conflicts raging across the world but to work for peace.

The pope made a rare direct appeal to U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday, urging him to find an "off-ramp" to ⁠end the Iran war.

In his address from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica on Sunday to the Square below, decorated with thousands of brightly coloured flowers for ⁠the holiday, Leo offered brief Easter greetings in ten languages, including Latin, Arabic and Chinese.

The pope also announced he would return to the Basilica on 11 April to host a prayer vigil for peace.

Source: Reuters



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