Pope Leo XIV has called for genuine peace in Ukraine and an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip in his first Sunday noon blessing as pontiff.
“No more war,” Leo said on Sunday, adding, “the dramatic scenario of a third world war being fought piecemeal.”
“I too address the world’s great powers by repeating the ever-present call ‘never again war’,” he said from the loggia of Saint Peter’s Basilica to an estimated 100,000 people below.
The new pope, who was elected on May 8 after the death of Pope Francis, evoked some of his predecessor’s favoured phrases that called for peace.
Pope Leo said he carries in his heart the “suffering of the beloved people of Ukraine” and appealed for negotiations to reach an “authentic, just and lasting peace”.
The call came hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed direct negotiations with Ukraine to achieve “lasting peace” amid stalled attempts by the administration of United States President Donald Trump to mediate an agreement.
Leo also called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and said he was “profoundly saddened” by the war in the Israeli-besieged enclave.
He said humanitarian relief must be provided to the “exhausted civilian population”, adding that “all hostages” held by the Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza must be freed.
Pope Francis called Gaza’s Christians on a near-daily basis during Israel’s war on Gaza, which has killed more than 52,000 Palestinians and wounded 120,000 others, many of them children and women.
The Israeli military continues to maintain a total blockade on water, food and all other humanitarian aid to Gaza despite international calls to stop its starvation policy.
Leo said he was glad to hear of the ceasefire reached on Saturday between nuclear neighbours India and Pakistan, and hoped negotiations would lead to a lasting accord.
“But there are so many other conflicts in the world,” he added.
This marked the first time that Leo addressed crowds from the loggia since he was elected as the first pope from the US on Thursday evening.
Italian authorities estimated that more than 100,000 people were in the square. The crowds were entertained by marching bands from Italy, Mexico and other parts of Latin America who came to Rome for the ongoing Catholic Holy Year.
Leo on Saturday prayed before the tomb of Pope Francis, who died on April 21, across town at the St Mary Major Basilica.
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