Pope Leo has marked his first anniversary as head of the Catholic Church by urging world leaders to calm global tensions and reduce hatred, following a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Vatican. The pontiff, the first American to hold the office, made his appeal on Friday, a day after talks with Rubio amidst strained relations with Washington.
Appeal for Peace
The Pope has previously drawn the ire of President Donald Trump for criticizing the Iran war. During a visit to Pompei, a modern city located about 245km (152 miles) south of Rome near the ruins of a famed volcano eruption, Pope Leo asked worshippers to pray for governments to turn away from violence. He expressed his hope that God would begin "touching hearts, calming rancour and fratricidal hatreds, and enlightening those who have special responsibilities of government."
Meeting with Rubio
His discussions with Rubio on Thursday took place against a backdrop of repeated disparagement from Trump on social media. The Vatican later confirmed that both parties had committed to improving their bilateral relations, a move described by insiders as an "unusual recognition of unprecedented tensions."
The U.S. embassy to the Holy See said on X after the meeting that Leo and Rubio had discussed "topics of mutual interest in the Western Hemisphere."
Background of Pope Leo
Leo, the former Cardinal Robert Prevost, was elected by the world's cardinals to succeed the late Pope Francis as leader of the 1.4-billion-member Church on May 8, 2025. Prevost, who spent decades as a missionary and a bishop in Peru before becoming pope, kept a relatively low profile in his first 10 months but has been speaking forcefully against war and despotism in recent weeks.
Message to Worshippers
In his message to thousands in Pompei's main square on Friday, the pontiff lamented that world peace is "endangered by international tensions and by an economy that prefers the arms trade to respect for human life." He urged people not to become accustomed to war. "We cannot resign ourselves to the images of death that the news shows us every day," said Leo.
