Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass for the Solemnity of Pentecost in St. Peter's Square on June 8, 2025. In his homily, he emphasized the significance of the Holy Spirit in the life of a Christian. (photo: Vatican Media)

The new Pope Leo XIV called for peace around the world in his first Pentecost address on Sunday. Speaking to tens of thousands of people in St Peter's Square, the first US-born head of the Catholic Church emphasized that peace must come from the heart.

The pontiff criticized the surge of nationalist political movements in the world and asked the holy spirit to "break down barriers and tear down the walls of indifference and hatred."