Pope Leo XIV marked the first anniversary of his election to the papacy on Thursday with a visit to Pompeii, where he prayed together with local residents at a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary and renewed his calls for peace and solidarity.
The first North American pope chose to spend the anniversary outside the Vatican, meeting with groups of economically vulnerable citizens supported by the Catholic Church.
“No one will be able to prevent us from supporting what is good. The hope for a future of peace, here and throughout the world, is going to become reality,” the pontiff said during his visit.
Shortly before celebrating the mass, Pope Leo added: “Today I am the first to feel blessed to be in the sacred church of Pompeii on this first anniversary of my election.” He also issued another strong appeal against violence and war, declaring: “No more wars; we cannot become accustomed to images of death.”
Later in the day, the pope was scheduled to travel to Naples to meet with local clergy and residents in the city’s central Piazza del Plebiscito.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also marked the anniversary, expressing gratitude to the pontiff for his “tireless message of hope, peace, faith, and dialogue among peoples, always standing beside the marginalized and forgotten.”
During his first year as head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Leo repeatedly called for what he described as “a disarmed peace that itself disarms.” His first apostolic journey last November included visits to Asia Minor and Lebanon. Together with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, he prayed for peace and Christian unity at the Phanar and in Nicaea of Bithynia during commemorations marking the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea.
Before that historic trip, Pope Leo stated that “the unity of Christians can also become a source of peace for the whole world,” emphasizing the importance of a common Christian witness.
In April, the pope also completed a ten-day visit to Africa focused on dialogue with the world’s major religions.
Throughout the year, Pope Leo frequently referred to his predecessor Pope Francis, whom he described as “the pope of the poor.” In one tribute, he wrote: “He was a missionary who preached the Gospel of Christian mercy truly to everyone.”
Observers and diplomats have particularly highlighted Pope Leo’s persistent efforts to promote peace and challenge growing militarization in international affairs. He repeatedly criticized what he called “the reckless character of relations among peoples when they are based not on justice and trust, but on fear and the supremacy of power.”
Photos: Vatican News, source: ANA-MPA, translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas
