Pope Leo XIV urges peace in first Easter Mass, omits named conflicts

At his first Easter Mass in St. Peter's Square, Pope Leo XIV delivered the traditional Urbi et Orbi and called for worldwide peace. He urged dialogue and told combatants, "whoever holds weapons in his hand, put them down," but he did not name any specific conflicts or countries. The omission of named conflicts departs from previous practice and signals a neutral, conciliatory diplomatic stance. The message matters because it sets the tone for his papacy and will shape Vatican engagement with current geopolitical crises.