Pope Leo XIV Urges Gaza Aid and Peace in First Public Address

Wednesday 21 May 2025 - 16:06

By: Zahouani Ilham

Pope Leo XIV Urges Gaza Aid and Peace in First Public Address

In his first general audience at St. Peter’s Square, Pope Leo XIV made a heartfelt call for humanitarian aid to reach Gaza and urged an end to the ongoing violence affecting its people. Around 40,000 people gathered for the event, which followed the historic inaugural Mass attended by approximately 200,000 faithful celebrating the first American pope.

Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost of Chicago, began the gathering with a ride through the square in the popemobile, blessing infants along the way. He addressed the crowd in multiple languages, including English, Spanish, and Italian, emphasizing the global reach of his message.

“I renew my heartfelt appeal to allow the entrance of dignified humanitarian aid to Gaza and to put an end to the hostilities whose heartbreaking price is being paid by children, the elderly and sick people,” he declared.

The weekly general audience allows the pope to connect directly with the faithful, offering reflections on spiritual themes and current events. Pope Leo XIV concluded the audience with his now-familiar message, “Peace be with you.”

Reinforcing his commitment to peace, Pope Leo XIV expressed on Tuesday the Vatican’s readiness to host future ceasefire negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. This offer was confirmed during a phone conversation with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who had consulted with U.S. President Donald Trump and other European leaders about the Vatican’s role.

Meloni thanked the pope for his unwavering dedication to peace. Trump, who had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier, also acknowledged the Vatican's long-standing willingness to mediate peace talks.

While Rome may host preliminary discussions, any higher-level negotiations involving Putin remain unlikely due to an active arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court, of which Italy is a founding member and legally bound to comply.