Originally published at The Crux
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ROME – Pope Leo on his first Easter as pontiff urged the world to choose a path of dialogue and nonviolence in the face of the conflicts lacerating the world and announced a prayer vigil for peace April 11.
In his traditional Urbi et Orbi Easter address, Pope Leo opted not to list active conflict zones throughout the world in praying for peace, as is customary, but rather focused on the need to overcome what his predecessor Pope Francis had called a “globalization of indifference” to violence and injustice.
“In the light of Easter, let us allow ourselves to be amazed by Christ! Let us allow our hearts to be transformed by his immense love for us! Let those who have weapons lay them down! Let those who have the power to unleash wars choose peace!” he said.
This peace, he said, is not “imposed by force, but is rather forged “through dialogue! Not with the desire to dominate others, but to encounter them!”
Easter, he said, is ultimately the victory “of life over death, of light over darkness, of love over hatred.”
This victory came “at a very high price,” as Jesus was unjustly condemned, mocked, tortured, and
