Pope Leo calls for hope amid global conflicts on his first Easter as pontiff

World Pope Leo XIV calls for hope amid global conflicts on his first Easter as pontiff April 5, 2026 / 7:39 AM EDT / CBS/AP Add CBS News on Google Pope Leo XIV celebrated his first Easter Mass as pontiff with a call Sunday to exercise hope against "the violence of war that kills and destroys," saying "we need this song of hope today" as conflicts spread around the world.With the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran in its second month and Russia's ongoing campaign in Ukraine, Leo has repeatedly called for a halt in hostilities. In his Easter homily, the pope singled out those who wage war, abuse the weak and prioritize profits."The power with which Christ rose is entirely nonviolent," said Leo, the first U.S.-born pope, referencing the resurrection that Christianity observes on the Easter holiday. "Brothers and sisters, this is the true strength that brings peace to humanity, because it fosters respectful relationships at every level: among individuals, families, social groups, and nations. It does not seek private interests, but the common good; it does not seek to impose its own plan, but to help design and carry out a plan together with others."Leo addressed the faithful from an open-air altar in St. Peter's Square flanked with white roses, while the steps leading down to the piazza where the faithful gathered were filled with spring perennials, symbolically resonating with the pope's message of hope.The pontiff implored the faithful to keep their hope in the face of death, which lurks "in injustices, in partisan selfishness, in the oppression of the poor, in the lack of attention given to the most vulnerable. Pope Leo XIV sprinkles holy water with a bunch of hyssop sprigs as he presides over Easter Mass in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Sunday, April 5, 2026. Andrew Medichini / AP "We see it in violence, in the wounds of the world, in the cry of pain that rises from every corner because of the abuses that crush the weakest among us, because of the idolatry of profit tha...