Pope Leo: “We are surrounded by a delusion of omnipotence that is becoming increasingly unpredictable and aggressive. Even the holy name of God, the God of life, is being dragged into discourses of death.”
Pope Leo XIV, Prayer Vigil for Peace, April 11, 2026
Dear brothers and sisters, your prayer is an expression of that faith which, according to the words of Jesus, moves mountains. Thank you for accepting this invitation to gather here at the tomb of St. Peter and in so many other places around the world to pray for peace.
War divides; hope unites. Arrogance trembles upon others; love lifts up. Idolatry blinds us; the living God enlightens.
My dearest friends, all it takes is a little faith — a mere crumb of faith — in order to face this dramatic hour in history together as humanity and alongside humanity. Prayer is not a refuge in which to hide from our responsibilities, nor an anesthetic to numb the pain provoked by so much injustice. Rather, it is the most selfless, universal, and transformative response to death. We are a people who are already risen. Within each of us, within every human being, the interior teacher teaches peace, urges us towards encounter, and inspires us to make supplication.
Let us rise from the rubble. Nothing can confine us to a predetermined fate — not even in this world where there never seem to be enough graves, for people continue to crucify one another and eliminate life with no regard to justice and mercy.
In the context of the 2003 Iraq war crisis, St. John Paul II, a tireless advocate for peace, said with deep emotion: “I belong to that generation that lived through World War II and, thanks be to God, survived it. I have the duty to say to all young people, to those who are younger than I, who have not had this experience: no more war.” As Paul VI said during his first visit to the United Nations: “We must do everything possible. We know well that peace is not possible at any price, but we all know how great is this responsibility.” I make his appeal my own this evening, relevant as it is today.
Prayer teaches us how to act. In prayer, our limited human possibilities are joined to the infinite possibilities of God. Thoughts, words, and deeds then break the demonic cycle of evil and are placed at the service of the kingdom of God — a kingdom in which there is no sword, no drone, no vengeance, no trivialization of evil, no unjust profit, but only dignity, understanding, and forgiveness.
We are surrounded by a delusion of omnipotence that is becoming increasingly unpredictable and aggressive. The balance within the human family has been severely destabilized. Even the holy name of God, the God of life, is being dragged into discourses of death. A world of brothers and sisters with a heavenly father vanishes as in a nightmare, giving way to a reality populated by enemies. We are met by threats rather than the invitation to listen and to come together.
Brothers and sisters, those who pray are aware of their own limitations. They do not kill or threaten with death. Instead, death enslaves those who have turned their backs on the living God, turning themselves and their own power into a mute, blind, and deaf idol — to which they sacrifice every value, demanding that the whole world bend its knee. Enough of the idolatry of self and money! Enough of the display of power! Enough of war! True strength is shown in serving life.”
With evangelical simplicity, St. John XXIII once wrote: “The benefit of peace will be felt everywhere — by individuals, by families, by nations, by the whole human race.” And echoing the incisive words of Pius XII, he added: “Nothing is lost by peace; everything may be lost by war.”
Let us therefore unite the moral and spiritual strength of the millions and billions of men and women, young and old, who today choose to believe in peace — caring for the wounds and repairing the damage left behind by the madness of war.
I receive countless letters from children in areas of conflict. In reading them, one perceives, through the lens of innocence, all the horror and inhumanity — actions that some adults boast of with pride. Let us listen to the voices of children.
Dear brothers and sisters, there are certainly binding responsibilities that fall to the leaders of nations. To them we cry out: stop! It is time for peace! Sit at the table of dialogue and mediation — not at the table where rearmament is planned and deadly actions are decided.
Yet there is no less significant responsibility that falls to all of us — men and women from all over the world. We are an immense multitude that rejects war, not only in word but also in deed. Faith calls us to leave behind whatever violence remains in our hearts and minds — and to turn to a kingdom of peace that is built up day by day in our homes, schools, neighborhoods, and civil and religious communities. A kingdom that counters polemics and resignation through friendship and a culture of encounter.
Let us believe once again in love, moderation, and good politics. We must form ourselves and get personally involved, each following our calling. Everyone has a place in the mosaic of peace.
The Rosary, like other ancient forms of prayer, has united us this evening in its steady rhythm built on repetition. Peace gains ground in the same way — word by word, deed by deed — just as a rock is hollowed out drop by drop, or fabric woven stitch by stitch. These are the slow rhythms of life, a sign of God’s patience.
We must not allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by the pace of a world that does not know what it is chasing. Rather, we must return to serving the rhythm of life — the harmony of creation and healing its wounds.
As Pope Francis taught us, there is also a need for peacemakers — men and women prepared to work boldly and creatively to initiate processes of healing and renewed encounter. There is indeed an architecture of peace to which different institutions of society contribute, each according to its own area of expertise. But there is also an art of peace that involves us all.
Dear brothers and sisters, let us return home having made a commitment to pray without ceasing and without growing weary — a commitment to a profound conversion of peace. The Church is a great people at the service of reconciliation and peace. She advances without hesitation. Even when rejecting the logic of war may lead to misunderstanding and scorn, she proclaims the gospel of peace and instills obedience to God rather than any human authority — especially when the inherent dignity of other human beings is threatened by continuous violations of international law.
Throughout the world, it is to be hoped that every community become a house of peace — where one learns how to diffuse hostility through dialogue, where justice is practiced and forgiveness is cherished.
Now more than ever, we must show that peace is not a utopia.
Brothers and sisters of every language, people, and nation: we are one family that weeps, hopes, and rises again. No more war — a journey with no return. No more war — a vicious cycle of grief and violence.
Pope Leo XIV, Prayer Vigil for Peace, April 11, 2026
Bob Schwartz 