Pope Leo XIV on Sunday presided over his first Easter Mass before more than 50,000 devotees at St. Peter’s Square, calling for joy, peace, and renewal amid conflict in the Middle East.

In his homily, the Pope described Easter as a day when all creation is “resplendent with new light,” proclaiming that Jesus Christ’s victory over death opened humanity to new life.

He said the Easter proclamation reaches into the deepest parts of human experience, offering hope even in moments when life feels overwhelmed by loss or despair.

“Christ is risen from the dead,” he declared. “And with him, we too rise to new life.”

The Pope emphasized that Easter brings a fullness of joy that cannot be taken away—a joy grounded in the belief that death no longer holds ultimate power.

He said the event also offers hope that does not fail and a light that does not fade, even when individuals confront suffering, guilt, or uncertainty.

Acknowledging the realities of human weakness, he noted that the weight of sin or prolonged hardship can leave people feeling trapped, unable to “spread their wings” or see a way forward.

Yet Easter, he said, stands as a promise that darkness does not have the final word.

While the language of joy and renewal dominated the Easter liturgy, peace remained a central and recurring theme, one that the Pope consistently emphasized throughout Holy Week.

“Let us allow ourselves to be transformed by the peace of Christ. Let us make heard the cry for peace that springs from our hearts,” the Pope said.

The call was especially visible during the solemn Good Friday Way of the Cross at Rome’s Colosseum, where the Pope personally carried a wooden cross through all 14 stations, witnessed by around 30,000 devotees.

The theme continued during the Easter Vigil Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica on Saturday night, where the Pope spoke forcefully against what he called “the violence of war that kills and destroys.”

In his homily, he condemned the abuse of the weak and the pursuit of profit at the expense of human dignity, remarks delivered against the backdrop of ongoing global conflicts, including war in Ukraine and tensions in the Middle East.

He said peace cannot exist where life is treated as expendable. (PNA)