Pope Leo XIV wasted no time making his place clear on world battle, utilizing his first Sunday blessing as pontiff to comply with in his predecessor’s footsteps and name for an finish to all wars at present ravaging the world.
“The immense tragedy of the Second World War ended 80 years ago, after so many millions of victims. And now we’re facing the tragedy of a Third World War in pieces, as Pope Francis often said,” the brand new pope instructed the large crowd from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica on the Vatican.
“I too would like to address the powerful people of the world by repeating the ever-present call ‘never again war.’”
Final week’s conclave swiftly resulted within the unprecedented election of the primary North American pope ― a 69-year-old missionary who hails from Chicago and spent a lot of his life in Peru. His first look as pontiff got here Thursday, the place he delivered a message of peace and unity. On Sunday, he known as out particular conflicts and struggle which have divided a lot of the world.
Laura Lezza by way of Getty Pictures
“I carry in my heart the suffering of the beloved Ukrainian people,” Leo stated, referring to Russia’s yearslong struggle in opposition to its neighbor. “May whatever is possible be done to reach an authentic, true and lasting peace as quickly as possible. May all the prisoners be freed. May children return to their families.”
The pope additionally stated that he’s “deeply hurt” by the humanitarian disaster dealing with Gaza as a result of Israel’s invasion. Leo known as for a ceasefire to “immediately come into effect,” for desperately wanted support to succeed in Palestinian households and for all hostages to be freed.
Leo added that he was “happy to hear” of the ceasefire settlement between India and Pakistan, expressing his hope that the 2 nuclear powers can negotiate a “lasting accord.” Simply hours after the ceasefire, nevertheless, each international locations allegedly restarted their bombing campaigns.
Earlier than Leo, Pope Francis gained a status for his progressive reforms and for talking on behalf of marginalized peoples who bear the results of world battle and struggle launched by main powers. Each the general public and a polarized Catholic Church had been ready to see if the brand new pope would comply with his predecessor’s lead.
Domenico Stinellis by way of Related Press
“My hope would be that he has, now, a new platform to reintroduce what the church has always called for in terms of its social justice agenda, and it will give people another opportunity to take a second look at what Francis was saying – but now in the words and the voice of an American who speaks like an American. I think that’s going to be very powerful going forward,” Cardinal Blase Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, instructed ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday.
Pope Francis ceaselessly butted heads with the US, particularly the Trump administration with regard to immigrants. Cupich stated that Leo will proceed his predecessor’s work in standing up for the weak ― together with in his dwelling nation, the U.S.
“I think he’s going to help complete and complement our political agenda. He’ll talk a lot about the immigrants as well because he knows about the sufferings of people and the real needs that they have for a better life,” Cupich stated.
“And he knows too that people in Oceania, for instance, where the rising sea levels are just overwhelming those islands, where people are trying to escape; he sees the drug trade that’s happening in Central and South America, where there are weapons from the United States going there,” he continued. “He knows that those people need an option. And he’ll for, I think, as the bishops have in the United States, fixing this broken immigration system.”
