Pope Leo XIV urges peace on anniversary of Sept. 11 attacks
Wertynews.com – Pope Leo XIV used his Sunday Angelus address to remember those affected by the Sept. 11 attacks and to appeal for a renewed global commitment to peace, 25 years after the violence struck the United States.
Speaking from the studio window overlooking St. Peter’s Square, the Chicago-born pontiff offered his first public commemoration of the anniversary as pope. He spoke in English as he prayed for the people who died and for survivors still carrying the effects of the tragedy.
“Two days ago marked the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the United States of America,” Leo said. “I renew my prayers for those who lost their lives and for those who continue to bear the wounds of that tragic day.”
The message carried particular resonance because Leo, the first American pope, was born in Chicago. His remarks joined remembrance of a defining moment in recent American history with a broader pastoral call directed at people living amid war, instability and violence around the world.
“At a time when conflict and violence afflict so many of our brothers and sisters, I invite everyone to pray that the Lord will bestow his gift of peace upon the world.”
Continuing in Italian, Leo said that the anniversary should serve as a reason to deepen the pursuit of peace, especially through prayer. Rather than treating remembrance as only an occasion to look backward, he presented it as a prompt for moral and spiritual responsibility in the present.
A personal connection to the 2001 events
When the attacks occurred on Sept. 11, 2001, Leo was known as Robert Prevost and was in Rome for a major gathering of the Augustinian order. At that point, he was the Augustinians’ provincial leader in Chicago.
Only days later, on Sept. 14 — his birthday — Prevost was elected superior of the worldwide Augustinian order. He remained in that role for two consecutive terms, serving until 2012. The timing means that the attacks were linked to an important period of transition in his own religious life and leadership.
His concern about the consequences of violence was already evident in a homily he delivered soon after becoming superior. Excerpts from that Sept. 21, 2001 homily were republished by Vatican News on the anniversary weekend.
“We cannot fail to remember the tragic events that shook the United States on Sept. 11,” he said in the homily. “The violence that the world witnessed last week in the United States is a tragic expression of a series of problems that are becoming increasingly acute everywhere.”
In the same reflection, the future pope connected violence to the wider burdens of poverty and injustice, warning that hatred cannot be separated from the conditions in which many people struggle to live.
“Hatred and violence will continue to grow as long as so many people are forced to live in extreme poverty and are oppressed by so many forms of injustice.”
Remembering victims while looking ahead
Leo’s latest appeal returns to themes he expressed nearly a quarter-century earlier: grief for those harmed by violence, concern for communities living through conflict, and the belief that peace requires more than remembrance alone.
For Catholics, the Angelus is a regular moment of prayer and reflection. By raising the Sept. 11 anniversary during the traditional Sunday observance, Leo placed the commemoration within a wider invitation to pray for all those facing violence and insecurity.
The Vatican has also marked the significance of Ground Zero through previous papal visits. Pope Benedict XVI visited the site in 2008, while Pope Francis made a visit in 2015. Those visits underscored the place the attacks hold not only in American memory but also in the wider spiritual and diplomatic concerns of the Catholic Church.
Twenty-five years after Sept. 11, Leo’s words emphasized both the continuing pain of loss and the need to resist the forces that sustain conflict. His message did not reduce peace to an abstract ideal. Instead, it invited prayer, remembrance and a renewed commitment to confronting violence in a world where many people continue to endure its consequences.
Related Reading
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Pope Leo XIV marks 25 years?
Pope Leo XIV marks 25 years is the main topic of this guide. The article explains the context, practical details, and next steps readers should understand.
Why does Pope Leo XIV marks 25 years matter?
Pope Leo XIV marks 25 years matters because readers are looking for a useful answer, not just a short summary. Good content should match search intent and help them decide what to do next.