Pope Leo XIV called on Wednesday for humanitarian aid to reach the Gaza Strip and to end the “heartbreaking” toll on his people when he chaired his first general audience on St. Peter’s Square.
The Vatican said there were about 40,000 people on hand for the audience, who came only a few days after 200,000 people attended on Sunday on Sunday for the first American Pope of History on Sunday.
Leo, former Cardinal Robert Prestor of Chicago, began the audience with a tour of Piazza in the popemobile and stopped to bless several children. In addressing specific greetings, he spoke in his native English, his smooth Spanish and traditional Italian papacy.
“I renew my sincere appeal to enable dignitarian aid to Gaza and end hostility whose heartbreaking price pays children, older and sick,” he said. Leo did not mention the situation of the hostage, which Hamas bought during the attack on South Israel 7 October 2023, as Pope Francis would normally be.
The general audience on Wednesday is a weekly appointment that the popes have held for decades to allow ordinary believers to meet the Pope. This is the Pope, which brings a short reflection on the topic or passage of the script, with summons of others in different languages and the Pope aimed at specific messages by a specific faith.
A meeting that lasts for more than an hour usually ends with a short current appeal of the Pope about the current problem or the upcoming event. Leo started it with his now line “Peace to be with you”.
To this end, Leo re -confirmed the willingness of the Vatican to organize another round of interviews about the ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine during a telephone call with the Italian premiere of Giorgia Meloni, the Italian office said.
Meloni called after talking to US President Donald Trump and other European leaders who asked her to verify the offer of the Holy See.
“Finding at the Holy Father’s confirmation of the willingness to welcome other interviews between the parties, the Prime Minister expressed deep gratitude for the willingness of Pope Leo Xiva and his continuous obligation in favor of peace,” Meloni’s office said in a statement at the end of Tuesday.
Trump referred to the long -term offer of the Vatican to organize interviews when reporting about his phone call on Monday with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
While in Rome, there could be low -level interviews, Italy would be severely pushed to allow Putin to fly to Rome for any higher -level negotiation. Putin is subject to an international arrest warrant against him from an international criminal court whose Italy is a founding member and is therefore obliged to conduct his orders.
(Tagstotranslate) Pope Leo XIV
