"Evil will not prevail": Pope Leo XIV calls for peace and unity in his first speech as pontiff

Pope Leo XIV delivered a message of hope, unity, and peace in his first public address as the new leader of the Roman Catholic Church.

He delivered the speech to a crowd of nearly 100,000 pilgrims who gathered in St. Peter's Square. As he stood on the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, the newly elected pontiff, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, welcomed the crowd with the words,

"Peace be with you all"

and eventually declared that,

"Evil will not prevail."

One can listen to the whole speech of Pope Leo XIV below:

The 69-year-old American-born cleric was elected as the 267th pope of the Church and the first pontiff from the United States. His election was confirmed on Thursday after four ballots in the papal conclave.

Many believe that it is a turning point for the Vatican, which had historically resisted the idea of a U.S. pope due to the United States' alleged global political weight.

Pope Leo XIV follows Pope Francis, who died on April 21, 2025, at 88 years old. His funeral attracted more than 250,000 visitors to the Vatican on April 27, 2025.

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Complete speech of Pope Leo XIV

Pope Leo XIV delivered his first speech mainly in Italian and Spanish. The speech emphasized peace, dialogue, and more. Notably, he chose not to speak in English, his native language.

As reported by The New York Times, the English transcription of Pope Leo XIV's first speech as a pontiff is as follows:

"Peace be with you! Dearest brothers and sisters, this was the first greeting of the risen Christ, the good shepherd who gave his life for the flock of God. I, too, would like this greeting of peace to enter your hearts, to reach your families and all people, wherever they are; and all the peoples, and all the earth: Peace be with you.

"This is the peace of the risen Christ, a disarming and humble and preserving peace. It comes from God. God, who loves all of us, without any limits or conditions. Let us keep in our ears the weak but always brave voice of Pope Francis, who blessed Rome — the Pope who blessed Rome and the world that day on the morning of Easter.

"Allow me to continue that same blessing. God loves us, all of us, evil will not prevail. We are all in the hands of God. Without fear, united, hand in hand with God and among ourselves, we will go forward. We are disciples of Christ, Christ goes before us, and the world needs his light. Humanity needs him like a bridge to reach God and his love. You help us to build bridges with dialogue and encounter so we can all be one people always in peace.

"Thank you, Pope Francis!"

He continued:

"Thank you to my Cardinal brothers who chose me to be the successor of Peter and to walk together with you as a united church searching all together for peace and justice, working together as women and men, faithful to Jesus Christ without fear, proclaiming Christ, to be missionaries, faithful to the Gospel.

"I am a son of Saint Augustine, an Augustinian. He said, "With you I am a Christian, for you a bishop." So may we all walk together toward that homeland that God has prepared for us.

"To the church of Rome, a special greeting: We have to look together how to be a missionary church, building bridges, dialogue, always open to receiving with open arms for everyone, like this square, open to all, to all who need our charity, our presence, dialogue, love.

"And if you allow me also, a word, a greeting to all those and in a particular way to my dear diocese of Chiclayo, in Peru, where a faithful people has accompanied its bishop, has shared its faith and has given so much, so much to continue being a faithful church of Jesus Christ.

"To all you brothers and sisters of Rome, Italy, of all the world, we want to be a synodal church, walking and always seeking peace, charity, closeness, especially to those who are suffering.

"Today is the day of the Supplication to Our Lady of Pompeii.

"Our blessed Mother Mary always wants to walk with us, be close to us, she always wants to help us with her intercession and her love. So let us pray together for this mission, and for all of the church and for peace in the world.

"We ask for this special grace from Mary, our mother."

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More on Pope Leo XIV

Born in Chicago, Robert Francis Prevost joined the Augustinian order and eventually rose to lead it globally. He dedicated many years of service in Latin America, particularly in Peru. Pope Leo XIV became a Peruvian citizen and served as the bishop of Chiclayo before being appointed to senior roles in the Vatican under Pope Francis.

In 2023, he was named a cardinal and assigned to the Dicastery for Bishops. This body holds significant power and plays a central role in selecting new bishops worldwide. According to reports, Pope Leo XIV also supported reforms introduced by the late Pope Francis, which included adding women to the voting bloc for bishop appointments.

Pope Leo XIV's American roots initially made him a long shot in the eyes of many cardinals. This is mainly due to the Vatican's historically documented concerns about potential US political influence. However, his international experience, demonstrated commitment to Church reforms, and other factors seem to have gained the electorate's assurance.

Pope Leo XIV was elected by at least two-thirds of the 133 cardinal electors during the conclave that began on May 7, 2025. It is noteworthy that his chosen name, Leo XIV, carries historical resonance. Previous popes named Leo have guided the Church through turbulent periods, and many enthusiasts believe this signals the new Pope's intention to be a steady and moral voice.

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Also Read: World leaders welcome Pope Leo XIV as first North American pontiff.

Who is Robert Francis Prevost? All we know about the newly elected Pope Leo XIV.