Pope Leo XIV, during his inaugural Easter Sunday speech, appeared to direct a message toward President Donald Trump by advocating for disarmament. He called on those with weapons to lay them aside.
The pope, a vocal critic of Trump’s actions in Iran, lamented to the assembly in St. Peter’s Square about the growing desensitization to violence, urging that society should not become resigned or indifferent to such conflicts.
Addressing the crowd from the Vatican’s balcony, the first pontiff from the United States proclaimed, “Let those who possess weapons put them down!”
He further implored, “Let those with the authority to start wars opt for peace—a peace achieved through dialogue, not enforced by might.”
Although he did not mention a specific conflict, Pope Leo’s message, delivered as part of the traditional Urbi et Orbi blessing, which translates to “to the city and the world,” carried a universal appeal.
This particular address by the pope was notably concise, concluding in approximately 15 minutes, whereas such speeches typically extend to about twice that duration.
Leo also reflected on the story of Easter – when the Bible writes Jesus rose from the dead three days after peacefully accepting his death by crucifixion – to highlight the ‘entirely nonviolent’ nature of Christ.
He added the peace Jesus gives ‘is not merely the silence of weapons’, and urged: ‘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 world ravaged by wars.’
Pope Leo XIV seemed to have used his first Easter Sunday address to send a message to President Donald Trump as he urged ‘let those who have weapons lay them down’
The pope, who has strongly denounced Trump’s war in Iran, deplored to the thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square that people ‘are growing accustomed to violence, resigning ourselves to it and becoming indifferent’
Leo noted there is a ‘globalisation of indifference’, including to the ‘deaths of thousands of people’, the ‘repercussions of hatred’ and the ‘social and economic repercussions’ wars produce.
The pontiff continued: ‘The cross of Christ always reminds us of the suffering and pain that surround death and the agony it entails.
‘We are all afraid of death and out of fear, we turn away preferring not to look. we cannot continue to be indifferent. We cannot resign ourselves to evil.’
Leo’s Easter Sunday address follows his public cries calling for the end of global conflicts, including a significant step up in his criticism of the Iran war.
Pope’s do not typically mention world leaders by name, yet an exception was made last week when he publicly referred to Trump.
He told reporters on Tuesday: ‘I’m told that President Trump has recently stated that he would like to end the war…I hope he is looking for an off-ramp.’
Leo, who was born in Chicago, added: ‘We constantly make the call for peace but unfortunately, many people want to promote hatred, violence and war.’
His comments contradicted those made by the US secretary Pete Hegseth – who deemed the Iran war as a holy one.
Leo reflected on the story of Easter – when the Bible writes Jesus rose from the dead three days after peacefully accepting his death by crucifixion – to highlight the ‘entirely nonviolent’ nature of Christ
Leo’s Easter Sunday address follows his public cries calling for the end of global conflicts, including a significant step up in his criticism of the Iran war – and comes as he publicly referred to Trump last week
While in prayer last week, Hegseth asked God for ‘overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy’.
He added: ‘Let every round find its mark against the enemies of righteousness and our great nation.’
In what seems to be retaliation the Pope said at St Peter’s on Palm Sunday, God ‘does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them’.
Turning to the Bible, he said: ‘Even though you make many prayers, I will not listen: your hands are full of blood.’
The seemingly back-and-forth row between the Trump administration and Pope Leo XIV started last year.
Before he was elected in May last year, Leo scrutinised JD Vance’s claims that the Bible justified caring for one’s family before migrants.
Following an invite by the US vice-president to the US for Independence Day on July 4 this year, the Pope said he will instead spend the day visiting Lampedusa – an Italian island where migrants land after sailing from Africa.
This year marks Leo’s first Easter as Pope after the death of Pope Francis, aged 88, on Easter Monday last year.
The Urbi et Orbi is the most solemn form of blessing in the Catholic Church, reserved for occasions including Easter and Christmas.
