Religion
POPE LEO XIV CALLS FOR PEACE IN UKRAINE AND GAZA IN FIRST SUNDAY BLESSING
Pope Leo XIV has called for a genuine and just peace in Ukraine and an immediate ceasefire in Gaza in his first Sunday noon blessing as pontiff. In a symbolic gesture, Leo appeared on the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, a departure from his predecessors who delivered the greeting from the studio window of the Apostolic Palace.
“I, too, address the world’s great powers by repeating the ever-present call ‘never again war’,” Leo said to an estimated 100,000 people below. He quoted Pope Francis in denouncing the number of conflicts ravaging the globe today, saying it was a “third world war in pieces.”
“I carry in my heart the sufferings of the beloved Ukrainian people,” he said. “Let everything possible be done to achieve genuine, just and lasting peace as soon as possible.” He also called for the release of war prisoners and the return of Ukrainian children to their families.
Leo welcomed the ceasefire between India and Pakistan and called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, saying, “Let humanitarian relief be provided to the exhausted civilian population and all hostages be freed.” The Pope also noted that Sunday was Mother’s Day in many countries and wished all mothers, “including those in heaven” a Happy Mother’s Day.
The crowd erupted in cheers and music as the bells of St. Peter’s Basilica tolled. Angela Gentile of Bari, who arrived in the square three hours early, said she was happy Leo came to the central balcony, so the crowd could see him face-to-face. “What’s good for the Holy Spirit works for me,” she said. “I have trust.”
More than 50 pilgrims from Houston, Texas, were in the square, waving three large American flags. They were in Rome on a pre-planned Holy Year pilgrimage and said they were proud to be part of this historic occasion. “Words cannot express my admiration and gratitude to God,” said the Rev. Dominic Nguyen, who led the Vietnamese American group.
On Sunday, Leo also celebrated a private Mass near the tomb of St. Peter and prayed at the tombs of several past popes in the grottoes underneath the basilica. He prayed before a mix of more progressive and tradition-minded popes: Pope Paul VI, who closed out the modernizing reforms of the 1960s Second Vatican Council, and Popes Pius XII and Benedict XVI, on the more conservative end of the spectrum.
Leo’s gestures have been closely watched by traditionalists and conservatives, who have been looking for signs of his priorities. Some have expressed cautious optimism, with Aldo Maria Valli, a conservative Italian journalist, urging traditionalists to give Leo a chance. “Don’t shoot Leo,” he wrote.
Pope Leo XIV has strongly condemned the escalating war involving Iran, describing the ongoing conflict as “atrocious violence” and calling on all parties to immediately halt hostilities.
Speaking during his weekly Angelus prayer at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City on Sunday, the pontiff appealed to leaders involved in the conflict to declare a ceasefire and pursue dialogue instead of continued military confrontation.
The appeal comes as the war widely reported to involve strikes by the United States and Israel against Iranian targets, entering its third week, leaving thousands of civilians dead or displaced across the Middle East.
“For two weeks, the peoples of the Middle East have been suffering the atrocious violence of war,” the Pope said, warning that violence can not bring justice, stability, or lasting peace to the region.
The Catholic leader expressed solidarity with victims of the conflict, particularly civilians who have lost loved ones or been forced to flee their homes. He emphasized the urgent need for humanitarian support for affected communities.
The Pope also raised concerns about the growing instability in Lebanon, where clashes between Israel and the Iran-backed group Hezbollah have worsened the humanitarian situation.
Calling for a diplomatic solution, the pontiff urged global leaders to pursue dialogue that could lead to lasting peace and stability in the Middle East.
Despite maintaining the Vatican’s traditional diplomatic neutrality, the Pope’s comments are seen as one of his strongest appeals yet for an end to the expanding regional conflict.
The Vatican has accepted the resignation of Bishop Emanuel Hana Shaleta of the Chaldean Catholic Diocese of St. Peter the Apostle in San Diego following his arrest on allegations of embezzling $250,000 from his congregation.
Bishop Shaleta, who had served the Chaldean Catholic community since 2017, pleaded not guilty to 16 counts of embezzlement and money laundering during a court hearing on Monday. According to San Diego Deputy District Attorney Joel Madero, the alleged offenses occurred in 2024 and were discovered after a church employee reported missing funds, local broadcaster KGTV reported.
Authorities detained Shaleta on March 5 at San Diego International Airport while he was attempting to leave the United States. His lawyer stated that the bishop had planned to travel to Germany.
Chaldean Catholics, while recognizing the authority of the Pope, follow an Eastern Christian liturgical tradition. Vatican statistics estimate approximately 71,000 Chaldean Catholics reside in the San Diego area.
The arrest and resignation have sent shockwaves through the local religious community, prompting calls for greater transparency and accountability in church financial management.
A shocking breach of protocol occurred during the secret conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV last May, a new book by veteran Vatican reporters reveals.
As 133 cardinals gathered in the Sistine Chapel for their first vote, which is typically safeguarded by signal-jamming equipment to prevent outside communications, security officials detected an active mobile phone signal inside the chapel.
In a scene the authors describe as “unimaginable even for a film,” one of the older cardinals discovered a cellphone in his pocket and handed it over to security. The book, The Election of Pope Leo XIV, does not identify the cardinal or suggests he had any motive for carrying the phone but notes he was “disoriented and distressed” by the incident.
The incident is unprecedented in the history of modern papal conclaves, which require cardinals to relinquish all communication devices to ensure the election process remains secret.
Pope Leo XIV, elected on the fourth ballot with 108 votes, became the first pope from the United States. The revelation of this security lapse provides a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse into one of the world’s most secretive religious events.