{"id":41866,"date":"2026-04-05T11:57:36","date_gmt":"2026-04-05T11:57:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/?p=41866"},"modified":"2026-04-05T11:57:36","modified_gmt":"2026-04-05T11:57:36","slug":"pope-leo-xiv-delivers-first-easter-blessing-with-call-for-world-peace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/?p=41866","title":{"rendered":"Pope Leo XIV delivers first Easter blessing with call for world peace"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div id=\"beyondwords-wrapper\" class=\"beyondwords-wrapper\">\n<p><span class=\"label-bg\">NEW<\/span>You can now listen to Fox News articles!\n  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"speakable\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/person\/pope-leo-xiv\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pope Leo XIV<\/a> gave his first Easter blessing as pontiff on Sunday, calling for peace and urging the world not to grow indifferent to the deaths of tens of thousands in violent conflicts around the world.<\/p>\n<p class=\"speakable\">Leo gave the traditional Urbi et Orbi blessing from the balcony of St. Peter\u2019s Basilica to a crowd in St. Peter\u2019s Square that Vatican media described as numbering over 50,000.<\/p>\n<p>Leo said that in a world hurt by wars and abuses, people need hope and peace, urging against growing accustomed to violence and indifferent to the death of tens of thousands.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;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 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/politics\/defense\/wars\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">world ravaged by wars<\/a> and marked by a hatred and indifference that makes us feel powerless to the face of evil,&#8221; the pope said.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/media\/irish-prime-minister-taoiseach-micheal-martin-addresses-how-europe-feels-about-us-iran-conflict\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>IRISH PRIME MINISTER TAOISEACH MICHE\u00c1L MARTIN ADDRESSES HOW EUROPE FEELS ABOUT US-IRAN CONFLICT<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"image-ct inline\">\n<div class=\"m\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/343\/192\/pope-leo-easter-blessing.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/686\/384\/pope-leo-easter-blessing.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"192\" width=\"343\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/672\/378\/pope-leo-easter-blessing.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1344\/756\/pope-leo-easter-blessing.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"378\" width=\"672\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/931\/523\/pope-leo-easter-blessing.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1862\/1046\/pope-leo-easter-blessing.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"523\" width=\"931\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/720\/405\/pope-leo-easter-blessing.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1440\/810\/pope-leo-easter-blessing.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"405\" width=\"720\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1200\/675\/pope-leo-easter-blessing.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1\" alt=\"Pope Leo XIV waving\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><span>Pope Leo XIV delivers the Urbi et Orbi blessing \u2014 Latin for &#8220;to the city of Rome and to the world&#8221; \u2014 from the central loggia of St. Peter&#8217;s Basilica at the end of Easter Mass he presided over in St. Peter&#8217;s Square at the Vatican, Sunday, April 5, 2026.<\/span> <span>(AP Photo\/Alessandra Tarantino)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Leo reminded the faithful that &#8220;the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/faith-values\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">power with which Christ rose<\/a> is entirely nonviolent.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;In the light of Easter, let us allow ourselves to be amazed by Christ,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Let us allow our hearts transformed by his immense love for us. Let those with weapons lay them down. Let those who have the power to unleash wars choose peace. Not a peace imposed by force, but through dialogue. Not through a desire to dominate others, but to encounter them.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"image-ct inline\">\n<div class=\"m\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/343\/192\/pope-leo-easter-blessing-3.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/686\/384\/pope-leo-easter-blessing-3.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"192\" width=\"343\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/672\/378\/pope-leo-easter-blessing-3.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1344\/756\/pope-leo-easter-blessing-3.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"378\" width=\"672\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/931\/523\/pope-leo-easter-blessing-3.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1862\/1046\/pope-leo-easter-blessing-3.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"523\" width=\"931\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/720\/405\/pope-leo-easter-blessing-3.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1440\/810\/pope-leo-easter-blessing-3.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"405\" width=\"720\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1200\/675\/pope-leo-easter-blessing-3.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1\" alt=\"Faithful wait for Pope Leo XIV\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><span>Faithful wait for Pope Leo XIV to deliver the traditional Urbi et Orbi blessing at the end of the Easter Mass in St. Peter&#8217;s Square at the Vatican, Sunday, April 5, 2026.<\/span> <span>(AP Photo\/Andrew Medichini)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Leo also invoked what he said were the final words that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/person\/pope-francis\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pope Francis<\/a> issued to the world from the same balcony one year ago, during which the late pontiff warned of a &#8220;globalization of indifference.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/world\/israel-looking-solutions-open-christian-sites-after-barring-church-leader-palm-sunday-due-war\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>ISRAEL LOOKING FOR &#8216;SOLUTIONS&#8217; TO OPEN CHRISTIAN SITES AFTER BARRING CHURCH LEADER ON PALM SUNDAY DUE TO WAR<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;What a great thirst for death, for killing we witness each day in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/world\/conflicts\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">many conflicts<\/a> raging in different parts of the world,&#8221; Leo said, quoting Francis.<\/p>\n<div class=\"image-ct inline\">\n<div class=\"m\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/343\/192\/pope-leo-easter-blessing-2.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/686\/384\/pope-leo-easter-blessing-2.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"192\" width=\"343\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/672\/378\/pope-leo-easter-blessing-2.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1344\/756\/pope-leo-easter-blessing-2.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"378\" width=\"672\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/931\/523\/pope-leo-easter-blessing-2.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1862\/1046\/pope-leo-easter-blessing-2.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"523\" width=\"931\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/720\/405\/pope-leo-easter-blessing-2.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1440\/810\/pope-leo-easter-blessing-2.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"405\" width=\"720\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1200\/675\/pope-leo-easter-blessing-2.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1\" alt=\"Pope Leo XIV speaking\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><span>Pope Leo XIV addresses the faithful before delivering the Urbi et Orbi blessing from the central loggia of St. Peter&#8217;s Basilica at the end of Easter Mass he presided over in St. Peter&#8217;s Square at the Vatican, Sunday, April 5, 2026.<\/span> <span>(AP Photo\/Alessandra Tarantino)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Leo concluded the blessing by wishing everyone a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/christianity\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">happy Easter<\/a> in 10 different languages and singing the Regina Ceoli.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Leo earlier held his first Easter Mass as pope, in which he called for the faithful to exercise hope against &#8220;the violence of war that kills and destroys,\u2019\u2019 adding that in the face of conflicts spreading around the world, &#8220;we need this song of hope today.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/foxnews.onelink.me\/xLDS?pid=AppArticleLink&amp;af_dp=foxnewsaf%3A%2F%2F&amp;af_web_dp=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fapps-products\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Leo has repeatedly called for a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/world\/pope-leo-urges-war-leaders-halt-fighting-after-deadly-strike-school-sparks-outrage\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">halt in hostilities<\/a> as the\u00a0U.S.-Israeli war\u00a0on Iran enters its second month and Russia continues its violent campaign in Ukraine.<\/p>\n<p><i>Fox News&#8217; Courtney Walsh contributed to this report.<\/i><\/p>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/world\/pope-leo-xiv-invokes-pope-francis-final-words-easter-plea-against-growing-indifference-war\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Pope Leo XIV gave his first Easter blessing as pontiff on Sunday, calling for peace and urging the&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":41867,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41866","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41866","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=41866"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41866\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/41867"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=41866"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=41866"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=41866"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}