Berliner Boersenzeitung - Pope Leo XIV calls for peace at St Peter's prayer

EUR -
AED 4.166907
AFN 79.412775
ALL 98.002746
AMD 436.838634
ANG 2.030334
AOA 1040.307236
ARS 1300.455878
AUD 1.759791
AWG 2.042043
AZN 1.92898
BAM 1.956358
BBD 2.290073
BDT 138.150588
BGN 1.956046
BHD 0.427332
BIF 3331.366164
BMD 1.134468
BND 1.461839
BOB 7.836819
BRL 6.41544
BSD 1.134163
BTN 96.952502
BWP 15.223533
BYN 3.711661
BYR 22235.578685
BZD 2.278129
CAD 1.569588
CDF 3250.251514
CHF 0.935142
CLF 0.027899
CLP 1070.609174
CNY 8.17101
CNH 8.16921
COP 4733.3194
CRC 574.933437
CUC 1.134468
CUP 30.06341
CVE 111.178118
CZK 24.893615
DJF 201.617896
DKK 7.460598
DOP 67.163287
DZD 150.114023
EGP 56.595671
ERN 17.017025
ETB 152.708642
FJD 2.560946
FKP 0.848363
GBP 0.844334
GEL 3.097082
GGP 0.848363
GHS 13.556829
GIP 0.848363
GMD 81.681367
GNF 9819.957561
GTQ 8.706021
GYD 237.975232
HKD 8.884793
HNL 29.522112
HRK 7.535592
HTG 148.464457
HUF 402.917969
IDR 18534.943089
ILS 4.031361
IMP 0.848363
INR 97.105551
IQD 1485.744828
IRR 47789.47704
ISK 144.395658
JEP 0.848363
JMD 180.291379
JOD 0.804378
JPY 162.798467
KES 146.566857
KGS 99.209042
KHR 4540.053707
KMF 496.329333
KPW 1021.035538
KRW 1554.118898
KWD 0.347999
KYD 0.945119
KZT 578.244205
LAK 24521.691272
LBP 101619.885094
LKR 339.808336
LRD 226.832646
LSL 20.264607
LTL 3.34979
LVL 0.686228
LYD 6.216717
MAD 10.460373
MDL 19.615553
MGA 5078.178601
MKD 61.453383
MMK 2381.75675
MNT 4062.138866
MOP 9.145523
MRU 44.993137
MUR 51.550076
MVR 17.538536
MWK 1966.656444
MXN 21.9517
MYR 4.844429
MZN 72.483889
NAD 20.263803
NGN 1802.205172
NIO 41.742264
NOK 11.525575
NPR 155.124003
NZD 1.905837
OMR 0.436404
PAB 1.134163
PEN 4.173682
PGK 4.649284
PHP 63.091756
PKR 319.707019
PLN 4.2439
PYG 9059.182412
QAR 4.135142
RON 5.069028
RSD 117.297224
RUB 90.516171
RWF 1624.677073
SAR 4.255125
SBD 9.458213
SCR 16.129416
SDG 681.239113
SEK 10.840985
SGD 1.461796
SHP 0.891514
SLE 25.774756
SLL 23789.233264
SOS 648.15043
SRD 41.578448
STD 23481.203333
SVC 9.924916
SYP 14750.904198
SZL 20.269704
THB 37.068189
TJS 11.653405
TMT 3.976311
TND 3.385245
TOP 2.657042
TRY 44.06213
TTD 7.704788
TWD 34.051405
TZS 3068.736705
UAH 46.996279
UGX 4142.216959
USD 1.134468
UYU 47.243047
UZS 14623.038369
VES 107.415911
VND 29465.545162
VUV 137.616259
WST 3.142581
XAF 656.109277
XAG 0.033996
XAU 0.000342
XCD 3.065958
XDR 0.819254
XOF 656.143988
XPF 119.331742
YER 276.696136
ZAR 20.360025
ZMK 10211.575041
ZMW 30.84916
ZWL 365.29833
  • CMSC

    -0.2100

    22.05

    -0.95%

  • JRI

    -0.1000

    12.72

    -0.79%

  • RIO

    -0.2600

    61.98

    -0.42%

  • CMSD

    -0.3800

    21.79

    -1.74%

  • SCS

    -0.2400

    10.01

    -2.4%

  • AZN

    -0.2400

    69.68

    -0.34%

  • GSK

    0.1400

    38.54

    +0.36%

  • BCC

    -2.5900

    87.33

    -2.97%

  • BCE

    -0.1900

    21.47

    -0.88%

  • RBGPF

    4.2000

    67.2

    +6.25%

  • NGG

    0.1500

    73.57

    +0.2%

  • VOD

    0.0300

    10.42

    +0.29%

  • RELX

    0.1100

    55.1

    +0.2%

  • RYCEF

    -0.0100

    10.91

    -0.09%

  • BP

    -0.3200

    28.88

    -1.11%

  • BTI

    0.0200

    44.46

    +0.04%

Pope Leo XIV calls for peace at St Peter's prayer
Pope Leo XIV calls for peace at St Peter's prayer / Photo: Alberto PIZZOLI - AFP

Pope Leo XIV calls for peace at St Peter's prayer

Pope Leo XIV called for an end to war in the world as he greeted crowds from the balcony of St Peter's Basilica on Sunday, in his second official public appearance since becoming the leader of the Catholic Church.

Text size:

"Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday!" proclaimed the first pontiff from the United States, addressing tens of thousands in St Peter's Square gathered underneath him who cheered, applauded wildly and enthusiastically waved flags.

The new Chicago-born pope did not shy from world events in his public address following a prayer to the Virgin Mary, as he cited the recent 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, a conflict which killed 60 million people.

"In today's dramatic scenario of a third world war in tatters, as repeatedly stated by Pope Francis, I also address the powerful of the world, repeating the ever-timely appeal: No more war!" Leo urged from the balcony.

As had his predecessor Francis, he appealed for a "genuine, just and lasting peace" in Ukraine and said he was "deeply saddened" by events in the Gaza Strip, calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.

"Humanitarian aid must be provided to the exhausted civilian population and all the hostages must be freed," he said.

- 'Unworthy successor' -

Leo's appearance drew tens of thousands of people anxious for a closer look at the modest pontiff, born Robert Francis Prevost, who before becoming pontiff spent much of his life as a missionary in Peru.

Cardinals chose Leo as the 267th pope at a secret conclave on Thursday, praying he could heal rifts within the Church, renew faith among the world's 1.4 billion Catholics and address a host of modern-day challenges weighing on the more than 2,000-year-old institution.

Addressing cardinals on Saturday, the 69-year-old Leo called himself a "humble servant of God... and nothing more than this", and an "unworthy successor" to St Peter, according to a transcript released by the Vatican.

Pilgrims and worshippers packed St Peter's Square for Leo's appearance Sunday, bearing flags and Catholic symbols from across the globe. Priests and nuns mingled with the crowds, with many groups of young people, some who had played guitars or sang songs while waiting.

Hopes are high that Leo can be a unifying figure within the fractured Church, and the complicated geopolitical situation.

In the crowd was Alejandrina Espinosa, 59, from the Quechua population of Peru, who confessed she had cried when she heard of the new pope who spent more than 20 years in missions in Peru.

"He stole our hearts, because he awakened Christianity. The pope turned his work towards the forgotten, desolate peoples," Espinosa told AFP.

"I hope that this pope can unite all religions to save the world, because humanity is living a humanitarian crisis. We are killing each other.

Before his appearance Sunday, Leo celebrated mass at the altar near the tomb of St Peter, deep beneath the basilica within the Vatican Grottoes, the Vatican said.

- Tribute to Francis -

In the first clues as to the direction of his pontificate, Leo said Saturday he would be driven by the legacy of his predecessor, Pope Francis -- who died on April 21 aged 88 -- "with his example of complete dedication to service and to sober simplicity of life".

Leo made an unannounced visit to pray before Francis's simple marble tomb inside Santa Maria Maggiore basilica in the early evening on Saturday. The church was a favourite of Francis and worshippers have continued to line up to pay their respects there.

Cardinals describe Leo as in the mould of Francis, with a commitment to the poor and disadvantaged, and a focus on Catholics in far-flung areas away from Rome.

As an Augustinian and former missionary, he also believes the Church should be committed to "the missionary conversion of the entire Christian community", as he told cardinals.

The new pope's personal style is seen to be less direct than the sometimes impulsive Francis, a progressive who shook up the Church and often ruffled feathers within the Roman Curia, or government of the Holy See, during his 12-year papacy.

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, described Leo as "a person who immediately inspires a lot of confidence, a mild man who knows how to listen..."

"We are at the beginning of his pontificate, but already the first steps give us great courage and comfort. Even the reaction of the people, so beautiful and enthusiastic, says a lot," Pizzaballa told the Corriere della Sera daily on Sunday.

- Busy calendar -

Looking ahead, the pope has a packed calendar of meetings and audiences, starting on Monday when he will be officially presented to the international media who came to Rome to cover his election.

He plans to meet diplomats to the Vatican on Friday and then on Sunday May 18 will preside over the inaugural mass at St Peter's to mark the beginning of his pontificate.

The following week is marked by Leo's first general audience on May 21 -- a normally weekly event by the pope which includes readings from Scripture and a homily for the public.

He also plans to meet with members of the Roman Curia and Vatican officials on May 24.

In one of his first decisions, Leo has already said the heads of dicasteries, or Vatican departments, will keep their positions for now. Those roles had been suspended between Francis's death and the new pope's election.

Francis named Leo a cardinal in 2023 after choosing him to lead the powerful Dicastery of Bishops, which advises the pontiff on bishop appointments.

He spent approximately two decades in Peru on missions, taking Peruvian citizenship and learning Spanish -- which he used during his first address on Thursday from St Peter's Basilica.

(T.Renner--BBZ)