Pope Leo XIV calls for Gaza ceasefire in first Sunday message

The caller pope utilized phrases favoured by his predecessor, Francis, to telephone for an extremity to wars astir the world.

Pope Leo XIV has called for genuine bid successful Ukraine and an contiguous ceasefire successful the Gaza Strip successful his archetypal Sunday noon blessing arsenic pontiff.

“No much war,” Leo said connected Sunday, adding, “the melodramatic script of a 3rd satellite warfare being fought piecemeal.”

“I excessively code the world’s large powers by repeating the ever-present telephone ‘never again war’,” helium said from the loggia of Saint Peter’s Basilica to an estimated 100,000 radical below.

The caller pope, who was elected connected May 8 aft the decease of Pope Francis, evoked immoderate of his predecessor’s favoured phrases that called for peace.

Pope Leo said helium carries successful his bosom the “suffering of the beloved radical of Ukraine” and appealed for negotiations to scope an “authentic, conscionable and lasting peace”.

The telephone came hours aft Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed nonstop negotiations with Ukraine to execute “lasting peace” amid stalled attempts by the medication of United States President Donald Trump to mediate an agreement.

Leo besides called for an contiguous ceasefire successful Gaza and said helium was “profoundly saddened” by the warfare successful the Israeli-besieged enclave.

He said humanitarian alleviation indispensable beryllium provided to the “exhausted civilian population”, adding that “all hostages” held by the Palestinian radical Hamas successful Gaza indispensable beryllium freed.

Pope Francis called Gaza’s Christians connected a near-daily basis during Israel’s warfare connected Gaza, which has killed much than 52,000 Palestinians and wounded 120,000 others, galore of them children and women.

The Israeli subject continues to support a full blockade connected water, nutrient and each different humanitarian assistance to Gaza contempt planetary calls to stop its starvation policy.

Pope Leo XIV appears connected a surface arsenic helium leads the Regina Caeli supplication astatine the Vatican, May 11, 2025 [Marko Djurica/Reuters]

Leo said helium was gladsome to perceive of the ceasefire reached connected Saturday between atomic neighbours India and Pakistan, and hoped negotiations would pb to a lasting accord.

“But determination are truthful galore different conflicts successful the world,” helium added.

This marked the archetypal clip that Leo addressed crowds from the loggia since helium was elected arsenic the archetypal pope from the US connected Thursday evening.

Italian authorities estimated that much than 100,000 radical were successful the square. The crowds were entertained by marching bands from Italy, Mexico and different parts of Latin America who came to Rome for the ongoing Catholic Holy Year.

Leo connected Saturday prayed earlier the tomb of Pope Francis, who died connected April 21, crossed municipality astatine the St Mary Major Basilica.

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Al Jazeera and quality agencies