Pope Leo XIV<\/a>, carrying a tall, lit candle through a darkened and silent St. Peter\u2019s Basilica, ushered in Christianity\u2019s most joyous celebration with his first Easter vigil service as pontiff Saturday night,\u00a0urging that Easter\u00a0would bring harmony and peace to a world torn by wars.<\/p>\nEaster for Christians commemorates Christ\u2019s triumph over death with his resurrection following his crucifixion. <\/p>\n
Lighting the candle before he entered the basilica, the pope intoned: \u201cThe light of Christ who rises in glory.\u201d<\/p>\nPope Leo XIV used his first Easter vigil to highlight that the holiday will lead to harmony and peace after the wars that have occurred in Ukraine and Iran. Anadolu via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nCandle bearers stopped to light candles of the congregants as they walked down the central aisle, spreading flickers of light through the dark basilica before the lights went up as the pope arrived at the baroque main altar, followed by cardinals dressed in white.<\/p>\n
In his homily, Leo called sin \u201ca heavy barrier that closes us off and separates us from God, seeking to kill his words of hope within us,\u2019\u2019 and likened it to the stone that had covered Jesus\u2019 tomb \u2014 but which was found overturned, revealing Jesus\u2019 resurrection.<\/p>\n\n<\/aside>\nLeo said that there are stones representing sins to be overturned today, some \u201cso heavy and so closely guarded that they seem to be immovable.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSome weigh heavily on the human heart, such as mistrust, fear, selfishness and resentment; others stemming from these inner struggles, sever the bonds between us through war, injustice and the isolation of peoples and nations.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet us not allow ourselves to be paralyzed by them!\u201d the pope said, calling on the faithful to make a commitment \u201cso that the Easter gifts of harmony and peace may grow and flourish everywhere and always throughout the world.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n Marco Cordone\/ZUMA \/ SplashNews.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWith the\u00a0U.S.-Israeli war\u00a0on Iran in its second month and Russia\u2019s ongoing\u00a0campaign in Ukraine, Leo has repeatedly called for a halt in hostilities. <\/p>\n
On Palm Sunday,\u00a0he said that God\u00a0doesn\u2019t listen to the prayers of those who make war or cite God to justify their violence,<\/p>\n
As is tradition, Leo baptized 10 adults from all over the world during the Mass.<\/p>\n
During Leo\u2019s first Holy Week, which is notoriously demanding, the\u00a0pontiff carried the cross\u00a0for the entire 14 stations during the Way of the Cross on Good Friday, the first time a pope has done so for decades. <\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tStart your day with all you need to know\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMorning Report delivers the latest news, videos, photos and more.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tThanks for signing up!\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n On Holy Thursday, he washed the\u00a0feet of 12 priests\u00a0in the traditional Holy Thursday ritual, restoring a tradition\u00a0his predecessor\u00a0Pope Francis had broken by including laypeople and non-Christians.<\/p>\n
On Sunday morning, Leo will celebrate an open-air Mass in St. Peter\u2019s Square before delivering his Easter message and offer the traditional \u201cUrbi et Orbi\u201d message \u201cto the city (of Rome) and the world,\u201d which acts as a summary of the world\u2019s woes.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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