Pope Leo XIV celebrated his inaugural Easter Sunday as pontiff amid the ongoing Middle East conflict, holding mass in St. Peter's Square before thousands of faithful gathered in Vatican City.
The US-born pope, who has emerged as a vocal critic of the regional warfare, delivered his traditional Easter blessing at 1000 GMT following the morning service. The ceremony carried particular weight as it marked the first Easter since Pope Francis's death, who made his final public appearance on Easter Sunday 2025.
During Saturday's Easter Vigil, Leo XIV called for global peace while condemning the divisions created by ongoing conflicts. This week, he directly appealed to US President Donald Trump to seek an exit strategy from the Middle East crisis.
a new world of peace and unity
Pope Leo XIV — Al-Monitor
The war's impact transformed Easter celebrations across the Middle East. In Jerusalem, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre—Christianity's most sacred site where believers hold Christ was resurrected—remained closed to public gatherings for the first time in living memory.
Al-Monitor frames the story through the lens of religious disruption, emphasizing the unprecedented closure of holy sites and the pope's peace advocacy. Their Middle East focus highlights how the conflict has transformed sacred Christian celebrations into security concerns.
France 24 presents the story as a diplomatic and humanitarian crisis, focusing on the pope's calls for peace and the international implications of restricting religious freedom. Their European perspective emphasizes the global Catholic community's concern over Middle East developments.
Infobae frames Pope Leo XIV sympathetically as a peace advocate confronting regional warfare, emphasizing his direct appeals to Trump and the tragic impact on Christian communities. Their Latin American Catholic perspective portrays the pope as a moral authority challenging political leaders.
Last week, when asked if he had a message about the war in Iran for President Trump, Leo XIV said, “Hopefully, he’s looking for an off-ramp.” Paul Elie writes.
This Easter, an American Pope Confronts an American War | The New Yorker
On Tuesday night at a windy Castel Gandolfo, I asked Pope Leo XIV a question. With war potentially escalating in the Middle East, I wanted to know if he had a message for President Donald Trump and other leaders of the United States and Israel.
Not in God’s name: How Pope Leo is pushing back on divine justification of war | CNN
Pope Leo XIV marked his first Good Friday by becoming the first pontiff in decades to personally carry the wooden cross for all 14 stations at the Colosseum.
Pope Leo XIV bares cross for full Good Friday procession, a feat not seen in decades | Euronews
Israeli authorities imposed security restrictions on large religious gatherings following the February 28 joint US-Israeli military operations against Iran. The unprecedented closure left the normally bustling Old City eerily quiet during Christianity's holiest weekend.
It is the first time in my life that I experience a total closure of the Holy Sepulchre. It's sad. The Sepulchre is empty. It's the symbol of the most important event in Christian history
Jack Straw, Jerusalem resident — Al-Monitor
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, conducted Easter services behind closed doors after Israeli police prevented him from holding public mass the previous Sunday—an incident that sparked international condemnation.
The silence is almost absolute, broken perhaps by the distant sound of what war continues to sow in this holy and torn land
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa — Al-Monitor
In southern Lebanon, Christian communities found themselves caught between Israeli bombardments and Hezbollah positions. The village of Debel, near the Israeli border, prepared for Easter celebrations while artillery fire echoed around their isolated community.
Local residents described a night of continuous bombardment that prevented sleep, with humanitarian aid deliveries severely restricted. Despite the fear and isolation, community leaders expressed determination to maintain their Easter observances.
The situation is tragic. People are terrified, and the sound of bombardments and gunfire hasn't stopped for a moment since last night
Joseph Attieh, Debel notable — Infobae
The contrast between the Vatican's ceremonial grandeur and the Middle East's shuttered churches highlighted the regional conflict's reach into Christianity's most sacred celebrations. What remains unclear is whether next year's Easter will see a return to normal pilgrimages and public worship.