POMPEII, Italy, May 8 (Reuters) - Pope Leo XIV asked on Friday for God to inspire world leaders to ease global tensions and temper hatred, during a speech marking the first anniversary of his election as head of the Catholic Church, a day after meeting U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Vatican.
Pope Leo, who has drawn the ire of US President Donald Trump after criticizing war with Iran, urged believers to pray for governments around the world to turn away from violence.
During a visit to Pompeii, a modern city about 245 kilometers south of Rome near the famous ruins of the volcanic eruption, the Pope said he would join their prayers that God would begin to "touch hearts, calm fratricidal anger and hatred, and enlighten those who have special governmental responsibilities."
Pope Leo, the first American pope in history, held talks with Rubio on Thursday in an atmosphere of tensions with Washington, as Trump has repeatedly attacked the pontiff on social media.
The Vatican later said both sides had promised to improve bilateral relations, in what inside sources described as an unusual acknowledgement of unprecedented tensions.
The US Embassy to the Holy See wrote on the X platform that Leo and Rubio discussed "topics of common interest in the Western Hemisphere."
Leo, the former Cardinal Robert Prevost, was elected by the world's cardinals on May 8, 2025, to succeed Pope Francis at the helm of the Catholic Church of 1.4 billion believers.
Prevost, who spent decades as a missionary and bishop in Peru before becoming pope, kept a relatively low profile in his first 10 months, but in recent weeks has spoken out against war and despotism.
In a message to thousands of people in Pompeii's main square, the Pope said world peace is "endangered by international tensions and an economy that prefers the arms trade to respect for human life."
He called on people not to get used to war.
"We cannot accept the images of death that the news shows us every day," said Pope Leo.
