Pope Leo urges unity over nationalism at Pentecost Mass
Vatican City, June 8 – Pope Leo, the first American to lead the Catholic Church, voiced concern over the rise of nationalist political movements during his homily at a Pentecost Mass held in St. Peter’s Square. Without referencing any specific country or leader, he described such movements as "unfortunate" and called on divine guidance to “open borders, break down walls, and dispel hatred.”
Pope Leo, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, was elected on May 8 to succeed Pope Francis, becoming the spiritual leader of the Church’s 1.4 billion followers. Known for his progressive views, Leo had previously shared critical opinions about former U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance through posts on social media platform X, although the Vatican has not confirmed if the account, now deactivated, was officially his.
His predecessor, Pope Francis, also openly criticized Trump’s immigration policies, labeling plans to expel millions of migrants from the U.S. a “disgrace.” In 2016, Francis stated that anyone focused solely on building walls rather than bridges “is not Christian.”
Sunday’s Mass marked the celebration of Pentecost, one of the most significant events on the Christian calendar, and served as Pope Leo’s first major public message on global political issues.
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