Vatican: Pope Leo XIV. Warns: “Never war again!”

The new Pope Leo XIV used his first Sunday prayer on St. Peter’s Square for a peace appeal for the whole world. The new head of the Catholic Church called several ten thousand people from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica: “Never again war!” The first pontiff from the USA, the previous cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, was repeatedly cheered. There were several speeches with his name in Italian: “Leone, Leone”.

The new Pontifex recalled the end of the Second World War with 60 million fatalities almost exactly 80 years ago. Therefore, like his predecessor Francis, he wanted to “turn to the big ones in the world with an up -to -date appeal: never war again!”

At the same time, the Pope warned a “just peace” in Ukraine and a ceasefire in the Gaza War and the release of the Israeli hostages that are captured by Islamist extremists. According to the police estimates, more than 100,000 people were gathered on St. Peter’s Square.

The 69-year-old former missionary and head of the Augustinian order was elected on Thursday as the successor to Francis on the 267th Pope of Church History. In one of his first paths outside the Vatican, Leo XIV visited the grave of his predecessor: in Rome he was brought to the Marienkirche Santa Maria Maggiore, where the Argentine’s final resting place is located. He prayed at the grave and put a white rose down.

The big solemn fair for inauguration is planned for Sunday next week, again on St. Peter’s Square. State guests from all over the world are expected. Vice President JD Vance will probably be there from the United States, the home country of the new Pope.