December 17, 2025 04:46 am (IST)
Follow us:
facebook-white sharing button
twitter-white sharing button
instagram-white sharing button
youtube-white sharing button
Goa nightclub fire horror: Luthra brothers brought back to India from Thailand, arrested | Messi chaos costs minister his job: Aroop Biswas resigns after Salt Lake Stadium fiasco | Bengal SIR draft list out: Around 58 lakh voters’ names dropped | Relief for Sonia, Rahul Gandhi as Delhi court refuses to act on ED chargesheet in National Herald case | Centre moves to replace MGNREGA with 'G Ram G', sets stage for winter session showdown | Messi surrounded by VIPs, fans rage: Five held in stadium vandalism case | 'Messi was uncomfortable, lost his cool!': Ex-India footballer reveals what really happened at chaotic Kolkata stadium | PM Modi embarks on historic three-nation visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman | Caught in Thailand! Fugitive Goa nightclub owners detained after deadly fire kills 25 | After Putin’s blockbuster Delhi visit, Modi set to host German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in January
Pope Leo XIV
Newly elected Pope Leo XIV. Photo Courtesy: Vatican News X page video grab

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV on Sunday delivered his first message to crowds in St. Peter's Square in Vatican City when he welcomed the ceasefire agreement reached between India and Pakistan, amid tensions escalating between the two warring neighbours following the Pahalgam terror attack.

Reacting to the deal reached between the two nucelar-armed countries that have fought multiple wars since they came to existence in 1947, Pope said: "I hope that, through the upcoming negotiations, a lasting agreement may soon be reached."

Gaza

He said he felt deeply pained by seeing the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

"Let the fighting cease immediately, let humanitarian aid be provided to the exhausted civilian population, and may all hostages be released," he said.

Israel invaded Gaza after Hamas group targeted the West Asian country and killed 1200 people and took 251 people hostage during their October 7, 2023 attack.

Ukraine

Pope Leo XIV said he carried in his heart the sufferings of the Ukrainian people.

He said every initiative should be taken to reach a true, just, and lasting peace in the region.

He remarked at a time when Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed direct talks with Ukraine, aiming to end the bloody three-year war.

'Never Again War'

In his message sent to world leader's, the Pope said, “In today’s dramatic context of a third world war fought piecemeal ... I too appeal to the powerful of the world by repeating these ever-relevant words: never again war!”

He recalled that May 8 marked the 80th year of the completion of the Second World War, which had left 60 million people dead.

US Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected in a surprise choice as the new leader of the Catholic Church on Thursday, taking the name Leo XIV, becoming the first American pontiff.

He is the new leader of the 1.4 billion Catholics.

Support Our Journalism

We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism

IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.

Support objective journalism for a small contribution.