Pope Leo XIV on Easter Sunday called on world leaders to lay down their weapons and choose dialogue over domination, warning against growing indifference to violence and suffering.
Pope Leo XIV said Easter proclaims the victory of love over evil and calls humanity to reconciliation, as he presided over the Easter Vigil Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on the evening of April 4, according to Vatican News.
At the Chrism Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Leo XIV called on priests to bring Christ’s presence into places marked by suffering and despair, urging them to “spread the fragrance of Christ where the stench of death reigns,” Vatican News reported.
The Dalai Lama has expressed strong support for Pope Leo’s recent call for peace, affirming the Holy Father’s appeal for an end to violence and a renewed commitment to compassion and dialogue among nations and peoples.
Pope Leo XIV renewed his appeal for peace on March 31, urging world leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump, to take concrete steps to end ongoing conflicts and reduce violence.
Pope Leo XIV said that Jesus, the “King of Peace,” rejects violence and does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, according to Vatican News.
A day after Pope Leo XIV elevated the Apostolic Vicariate of Calapan—located in Oriental Mindoro in the central Philippines—to a diocese, the clergy gathered on March 26 at Sto. Niño Cathedral for the Chrism Mass, where they renewed their priestly vows with Bishop Moises M. Cuevas.
On March 25, Pope Leo XIV erected a new diocese in Bangladesh, appointing Fr. Paul Gomes, a priest of the Diocese of Rajshahi and currently Rector of the Holy Spirit Major Seminary in Banani, Dhaka, as its first bishop.
Marking the tenth anniversary of Amoris Laetitia, Pope Leo XIV has invited the presidents of Bishops’ Conferences worldwide for a high-level meeting in Rome in October 2026, aimed at revitalizing pastoral outreach to families in today’s complex realities.
Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli has been appointed to Croatia by Pope Leo XIV on March 21, bringing to a close his five-year mission as Apostolic Nuncio to India and Nepal.
Pope Leo XIV has delivered a strong and timely message to journalists, urging them to remain faithful to truth, verification, and ethical reporting amid the growing complexities of global conflict and media polarization.
Pope Leo XIV has challenged Christians who bear responsibility for war and armed conflict to undertake a serious examination of conscience, asking whether they have the humility to seek forgiveness through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
The Catholic Church in Pakistan has welcomed the appointment of new bishops announced by Pope Leo XIV on March 10, 2026, bringing renewed leadership to the Archdiocese of Lahore and the Apostolic Vicariate of Quetta.
As renewed conflict continues to escalate in southern Lebanon, the country’s Foreign Minister has appealed to the Holy See for diplomatic support to preserve the Christian presence in border villages near Israel, Vatican News reports.
A Maronite priest was killed on March 9 in the mountainous village of Qlayaa, Lebanon, while assisting parishioners whose home had been struck by an Israeli tank, according to Lebanese media reports and Vatican News.
Marking International Women’s Day, Pope Leo XIV called on Christians and people of goodwill to renew their commitment to recognizing the equal dignity of women and men, while expressing concern over the persistent violence and discrimination faced by women across the world.
The Pakistan Catholic Bishops’ Conference organized a special “Prayer Service for Peace” on March 4, calling for an end to the ongoing conflicts in Asia and rising tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Pope Leo XIV appealed to Catholics everywhere to unite spiritually for peace. “I ask all the faithful,” he said, “to pray the Lord’s Prayer and the Hail Mary for the peoples suffering from war, that hearts may be touched and that the path of dialogue and peace may prevail.”
As tensions escalate in the Gulf following U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran and subsequent retaliatory attacks, the Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia has called on Catholics in the region to intensify prayers for peace and reconciliation.
