Pope Leo XIV has called for humanitarian aid to reach those in need in Gaza and for an end to the “heartbreaking” toll on its people, as he presided over his first general audience in St Peter’s Square.
The Vatican said that around 40,000 people were on hand for the audience, which came just days after an estimated 200,000 people attended the inaugural Mass on Sunday for history’s first US pope.
Pope Leo XIV, the former Cardinal Robert Prevost of Chicago, began the audience with a tour through the piazza in the popemobile and stopped to bless several babies.
In addressing specific greetings to different groups of pilgrims, he spoke in his native English, fluent Spanish and the traditional Italian of the papacy.
“I renew my heartfelt appeal to allow the entrance of dignified humanitarian aid to Gaza and to put an end to the hostilities whose heartbreaking price is being paid by children, the elderly and sick people,” he said.
The Wednesday general audiences are a weekly appointment that popes have kept for decades to allow ordinary faithful to have a face-to-face encounter with the pontiff.
It features the pope delivering a brief reflection on a theme or Scripture passage, with summaries provided by others in different languages and the pope directing specific messages to particular faith groups.
The encounter, which lasts more than an hour, usually ends with a brief topical appeal by the pope about a current issue or upcoming event.
Pope Leo XIV began it with his now-frequent mantra, “Peace be with you.”
Ukraine peace talks at the Vatican?
On Tuesday, the pope reaffirmed the Vatican’s willingness to host the next round of ceasefire talks between Russia and Ukraine during a phone call with Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, the premier’s office said.
Meloni made the call after speaking with US President Donald Trump and other European leaders, who asked her to verify the Holy See’s offer.
“Finding in the Holy Father the confirmation of the willingness to welcome the next talks between the parties, the premier expressed profound gratitude for Pope Leo XIV’s willingness and his incessant commitment in favour of peace,” Meloni’s office said in a statement.
Trump had also referred to the Vatican’s longstanding offer to host talks in reporting on his phone call on Monday with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
While low-level talks could take place in Italy, authorities would be hard-pressed to allow Putin to fly into Rome for any higher-level negotiations.
Putin is subject to an international arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court, of which Italy is a founding member and is therefore obliged to execute its warrants.
