Pope Leo XIV led the Regina Caeli prayer on April 6 from the window of the Apostolic Palace, marking his first Easter Monday as pope with thousands of pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square.
The event was significant for many Catholics worldwide, as it included messages about hope, truth, and peace amid ongoing global conflicts. The pope used the occasion to reflect on Christian witness and to remember those suffering from war and persecution.
“Dear brothers and sisters, Christ is risen! Happy Easter!” Pope Leo said. He emphasized that this greeting symbolizes wonder and joy for Christians during Easter week. In his address, he spoke about two different accounts of Christ’s resurrection: one proclaimed by women who encountered Jesus after his death, and another by guards who claimed that Jesus’ body had been stolen. “From the same event — the empty tomb — two interpretations spring forth: One is a source of new and eternal life, the other of certain and definitive death,” he said.
The pope discussed challenges facing honest communication today: “Often…the telling of the truth is obscured by what we today call fake news — that is, lies, insinuations, and baseless accusations. Yet in the face of such obstacles, the truth does not remain hidden; on the contrary, it comes to meet us…illuminating even the densest darkness.”
He also turned attention to those affected by violence: “Peoples tormented by war, to Christians persecuted for their faith, and to children deprived of education.” Announcing Christ’s resurrection should give new hope “otherwise stifled by the hands of the violent,” he said.
Leo XIV remembered Pope Francis on this anniversary of Francis entrusting his life to God a year ago. He encouraged prayers so all may become “ever brighter heralds of truth.” After reciting a Marian prayer, Leo thanked those promoting sport as a means for inclusion and peace through initiatives tied to International Day of Sport for Development and Peace.
Concluding his remarks with an appeal for peace worldwide during Easter celebrations, Pope Leo XIV said: “Let us persevere in invoking the gift of peace for the whole world.”
