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Prayer Vigil for Peace led by Pope Leo draws thousands to the Vatican
VATICAN - Thousands of faithful gathered on Saturday at 6:00 p.m. (Italy time) inside and outside St. Peter's Basilica to take part in the Prayer Vigil for Peace, led by Pope Leo XIV.
The vigil, centered on the Holy Rosary, was open to all believers and served as a collective moment of prayer for peace amid ongoing conflicts around the world. Many participants went to the Vatican, while many others joined spiritually from different countries.
Before entering the basilica, the Holy Father greeted the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square, acknowledging their presence and unity in prayer. Holding a rosary, he then led the recitation of the Holy Rosary together with the cardinals and thousands of worshippers inside the basilica.
During the prayer, each mystery was accompanied by floral offerings presented by people of different nationalities, some dressed in their traditional attire—visibly expressing the universality of the Church. At the conclusion of the Rosary, the Holy Father also offered flowers and prayers before the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
In his message at the conclusion of the Rosary, Pope Leo XIV made a strong appeal to world leaders, emphasizing the grave responsibility entrusted to them in times of conflict. He urged them to turn away from strategies of escalation and instead embrace dialogue and mediation as the only path toward lasting peace.
“Stop! It is time for peace! Sit at the table of dialogue and mediation, not at the table where rearmament is planned and decisions of destruction are made!”
He called on leaders to abandon decisions that fuel violence and to choose instead the difficult but necessary path of negotiation.
At the same time, the Pope stressed that the responsibility for peace does not rest on leaders alone. He reminded all people, across nations and cultures, that rejecting war must be expressed not only in words but through concrete actions in daily life.
He further highlighted the stark contrast between the effects of conflict and the power of hope and love:
“War divides people, but hope brings them together. Oppression crushes, but love lifts up. False worship blinds, but the living God gives light.”
The Pope also reminded the faithful that prayer is not an escape from reality, but a powerful response to it:
“Prayer is not an anesthetic but a disruptive response. Prayer is not a refuge to escape our responsibilities; it is not an anesthetic to avoid the pain that so much injustice unleashes.”
At the end of the vigil, the Pope expressed gratitude to all those who participated, both physically present and spiritually united. He underscored the importance of communal and united prayer for peace throughout the world, recalling that, as Jesus taught, faith has the power to move mountains.
The prayer vigil, entrusted through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is a renewed call for all peoples and nations to uphold peace, embrace unity, and firmly reject violence.
The invitation was first announced by the Pope on Easter Sunday during his traditional Urbi et Orbi address and was reiterated on April 8 during the General Audience. —KG, GMA News
