Pope Leo XIV has launched his first social media posts with a powerful call for peace, urging world leaders to avoid war and embrace reconciliation. The Chicago-born pontiff, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, addressed his followers on X with messages centered around Christ’s message of peace and unity.
‘Peace be with you all! This is the first greeting spoken by the Risen Christ, the Good Shepherd,’ he wrote in his inaugural post. ‘I would like this greeting of peace to resound in your hearts, in your families, and among all people, wherever they may be, in every nation and throughout the world.’
Pope Leo continued to emphasize the importance of peace amid escalating global conflicts, pointing specifically to wars in Ukraine, Gaza, and India. ‘There is so much violence and so many wars in our world!’ he exclaimed. ‘Amid this horror that should provoke outrage—as people die in the name of military conquest—stands the call of Christ, who repeats: ‘Peace be with you!”
He also drew attention to the Christian East, referencing Pope Leo XIII’s advocacy for the preservation of Eastern rites. ‘Over a century ago, Pope Leo XIII noted that “the preservation of the Eastern rites is more important than is realized,”‘ he wrote. ‘Let us embrace the appeal to safeguard and promote the Christian East, especially in the diaspora.’
The Pope’s posts also took on a more personal tone when he addressed world leaders directly, offering to mediate peace talks. ‘The Holy See is willing to help enemies meet, so they may look each other in the eye and so people may be given back the dignity they deserve: the dignity of peace,’ he stated.
Concluding his appeal, Pope Leo declared, ‘War is never inevitable. Weapons can and must fall silent, for they never solve problems but only intensify them. Those who sow peace will endure throughout history, not those who reap victims.’
His social media debut comes shortly after his publicized comments to a NewsNation reporter, where he said he had ‘many’ messages for the United States—a statement some perceived as a critique of President Donald Trump’s policies.
In previous posts from his private account, Pope Leo expressed concern over immigration policies, criticizing the Trump administration’s deportation practices. One retweet from April 14 condemned the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland father of three, to El Salvador. ‘Do you not see the suffering? Is your conscience not disturbed? How can you stay quiet?’ he questioned.
The Pope’s social media activity is likely to garner attention in the coming weeks as he continues to speak out on pressing global issues, positioning himself as a vocal advocate for peace and justice.
