Pope Leo XIV calls for peace during All Souls Day mass in Rome

During a mass at the Verano cemetery in Rome on November 2, Pope Leo XIV called for an end to global conflicts. Addressing the congregation, the Pontiff urged that the tears of mothers, children, and the elderly should touch the consciences of those in power to make weapons fall silent.

While the Pope did not name specific conflicts, his remarks were interpreted in the context of ongoing violence in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as crises in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The ceremony included a symbolic gesture where the Pope left a bouquet of white and yellow chrysanthemums on an ancient family tomb to honor all the deceased.