Peace be with you all!
Dear brothers and sisters, this is the first greeting of the Risen Christ, the good shepherd who gave his life for God’s flock. I too would like this greeting of peace to enter into your heart, to reach your families, all people, wherever they may be, all peoples, all the earth. Peace be with you!
This is the peace of the Risen Christ, a disarmed and disarming peace, a humble and preserving peace. It comes from God. God, who loves all of us, without any limits or conditions. We still keep in our ears the weak but always courageous voice of Pope Francis, who blessed Rome - the Pope who blessed Rome and the world that day on Easter morning.
Allow me to continue that same blessing. God loves us, all of us, evil will not prevail. We are all in God’s hands. Therefore, without fear, united, hand in hand with God and among ourselves, let us 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 too, help us to build bridges with dialogue, with encounter, uniting us all so as to be one people always in peace. Thank you, Pope Francis!
I also wish to thank all my Cardinal brothers who chose me to be the Successor of Peter and to walk together with you, as a united Church always seeking peace and justice, always seeking to work as men and women faithful to Jesus Christ, without fear, to proclaim the Gospel, to be missionaries.
I am an Augustinian, a son of Saint Augustine, who said: “With you I am a Christian and for you a bishop”. In this sense, we can all work together towards that homeland that God has prepared for us.
To the Church of Rome, a special greeting! [Applause]. We must strive together 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 and love.
(Greeting of Pope Leo XIV after his election)