The led a candlelight mass with thousands of Catholics inside Rome’s famous Colosseum on Friday, which included prayers for war orphans and deported migrant children and a warning to world leaders that their decisions will one day be judged by God.
The pope, who has become an outspoken critic of the war against Iran, listened to an evocative set of spiritual meditations that were read aloud inside the ancient amphitheater to celebrate Good Friday, the day Christians mark Jesus’ death by crucifixion.
‘Every person in authority will have to answer to God for the way they exercise their power,’ said the first meditation. ‘The power to start or end a war; the power to instill violence or peace.’
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Leo, the first American pope and, at age 70, a relatively young pontiff, carried a tall wooden cross during a traditional procession known as the Way of the Cross, which marks 14 of the final moments of Jesus’ life, from his death sentence to his burial.
The pope stopped at various points within the Colosseum to hear readings from the Bible, writings of St. Francis of Assisi and spiritual meditations, which largely focused on issues of social justice.
The spiritual texts, written by an Italian priest chosen by the pope for the task, did not mention any specific world leader.
Thousands of Catholics who participated in the event, inside the Colosseum and in the surrounding cobblestone streets, prayed at various times for refugees, victims of human trafficking, political prisoners and ‘those who died under the rubble’ during world conflicts.
They also recognized children who were arrested during protests or ‘deported under compassionate policies’, without referring to specific countries.
Leão has previously criticized United States President Donald Trump’s hard-line immigration policies, questioning whether they are in line with the Church’s pro-life teachings.
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Good Friday is the second of four Catholic holidays leading up to Easter Sunday, when Leo will give a special blessing and message from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica.
One of the most closely watched engagements on the Vatican calendar, the Easter address is usually the time when the pope makes a major international appeal.
