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On Easter, Pope Leo Urges World Leaders to End Wars, Renounce Conquest
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on April 5, 2026
3 min readLast updated: April 5, 2026
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Pope Leo XIV used his Easter (“Urbi et Orbi”) address on April 5, 2026 to urge global leaders to lay down weapons, renounce conquest and embrace peace, denouncing growing indifference to violence.
Pope Leo Calls for End to Wars, Urges World Leaders to Renounce Conquest
Pope Leo's Easter Message and Global Appeal for Peace
By Joshua McElwee
Pope Leo's Plea to World Leaders
VATICAN CITY, April 5 (Reuters) - Pope Leo urged global leaders in his Easter message on Sunday to end the conflicts raging across the world and abandon any schemes for power, conquest or domination.
Condemnation of Violence and Indifference
The pope, who has emerged as an outspoken critic of the Iran war, lamented in a special message to the thousands gathered in St. Peter's Square 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 "Urbi et Orbi" Blessing
Leo did not mention any specific conflicts in the message, known as the "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the world) blessing. It was unusually brief and direct.
The Easter Story and Nonviolence
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," Leo urged.
Pope Leo's Recent Advocacy for Peace
Ongoing Criticism of Global Conflicts
Leo, who is known for choosing his words carefully, has been forcefully decrying the world's violent conflicts in recent weeks and ramping up his criticism of the Iran war.
Encouragement to Work for Peace
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.
Direct Appeal to President Trump
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.
Easter Greetings and Upcoming Peace Vigil
Multilingual Easter Greetings
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.
Announcement of Prayer Vigil for Peace
The pope also announced he would return to the Basilica on April 11 to host a prayer vigil for peace.
(Reporting by Joshua McElwee; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)
Key Takeaways
- •In his first Urbi et Orbi blessing, Pope Leo XIV condemned normalization of violence and urged those with weapons to lay them down and those with power to choose peace (apnews.com)
- •He emphasized Christ’s nonviolence, urging an end to desires for domination and power as Easter’s message of resurrection demands harmony (apnews.com)
- •In the days leading up to Easter, he also appealed directly to President Trump to seek an “off‑ramp” from the US‑Israel–Iran war, called for renewed dialogue, and will host a peace vigil on April 11 (apnews.com)
References
Frequently Asked Questions about On Easter, Pope Leo urges world leaders to end wars, renounce conquest
1What did Pope Leo emphasize in his Easter message?
Pope Leo urged world leaders to end wars and renounce any desire for conquest or domination, calling for peace in his Easter message.
2Did Pope Leo mention any specific conflicts in his address?
No, Pope Leo did not mention specific conflicts in his Urbi et Orbi blessing, but he has strongly criticized the Iran war.
3What appeal did Pope Leo make to U.S. President Donald Trump?
Pope Leo made a rare direct appeal urging President Trump to find an 'off-ramp' to end the Iran war.
4Will Pope Leo be hosting any special events following Easter?
Yes, Pope Leo announced he will hold a prayer vigil for peace in St. Peter's Basilica on April 11.
5How did Pope Leo characterize the story of Easter?
He said Easter demonstrates that Christ was entirely nonviolent and encourages abandoning all desire for conflict.
