Updated on: April 5, 2026 / 8:20 PM EDT / CBS/AP
Pope Leo XIV celebrated his first Easter Mass as pontiff on Sunday, urging people to hold on to hope in the face of spreading conflict and violence.
Speaking from an open-air altar in St. Peter’s Square, flanked by white roses and spring flowers, Leo praised the nonviolent power of Christ’s resurrection and called it the true strength that brings peace. “The power with which Christ rose is entirely nonviolent,” he said, adding that this strength “fosters respectful relationships at every level” and seeks the common good rather than private interests.
Leo, the first U.S.-born pope, has repeatedly called for an end to hostilities as major conflicts continue, including the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran and Russia’s campaign in Ukraine. In his Easter homily he singled out those who wage war, abuse the weak and prioritize profit over people.
He urged the faithful to resist despair where death and suffering appear — “in injustices, in partisan selfishness, in the oppression of the poor, in the lack of attention given to the most vulnerable.” He warned against indifference to “persistent injustice, evil, indifference and cruelty,” echoing words of his predecessor, Pope Francis, while insisting that “in the midst of darkness, something new always springs to life.”
The pope sprinkled holy water as he presided over the Mass in the piazza. A photograph showed him using hyssop sprigs during the ceremony.
Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to deliver the traditional Urbi et Orbi blessing — “to the city and the world” — later.
Elsewhere, traditional Easter ceremonies at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem were scaled back under an agreement with Israeli police, which restricted public gatherings amid ongoing missile attacks. The limits affected Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr and Passover observances as well; the Jewish priestly blessing at the Western Wall was limited to 50 people. Tensions have risen between Israeli authorities and Christian leaders after police prevented two top church figures, including Latin Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa, from celebrating Palm Sunday at the Holy Sepulchre.
On Tuesday, the pope had expressed hope that the war could end before Easter.