In a solemn Easter Vigil marked by the symbolism of light, Pope Leo XIV proclaimed that the Resurrection of Christ “drives out hatred, brings concord and subdues the powerful,” inviting the faithful to become bearers of that light in the midst of a world wounded by fear, division and violence.
From a basilica illuminated by candles lit from the Paschal Candle, the Pontiff recalled that this celebration, “mother of all vigils,” represents the heart of the Christian faith: the definitive victory of life over death.
The history of salvation culminates at Easter
The Pope reviewed the main stages of salvation history, from creation to the Resurrection, highlighting God's faithful love in the face of human sin. He recalled how, from the beginning, God transforms chaos into harmony and does not abandon man after his fall, but responds with mercy.
He also evoked key episodes such as the sacrifice of Isaac - where God reveals that he does not want death - and the liberation of Egypt, symbol of the passage from slavery to freedom. In the prophets, he pointed out, the image of a God who calls, satisfies, enlightens and renews the human heart constantly resounds. In the face of sin that divides and kills, God responds with the power of love that unites and gives life.
Women, the first witnesses of hope
Commenting on the Gospel, Leo XIV focused on the women who went to the tomb on Easter morning. Despite the fear and the apparent impossibility-the sealed stone and the vigil-their faith made them the first witnesses of the Resurrection.
The closed tomb is an image of the sin that encloses us, the Pope explained. But God's intervention - the earthquake, the angel, the stone removed - shows that his love is stronger than any evil.
A message for today: open today's tombs
The Pope applied the Easter message to contemporary reality, pointing out that even today there are “heavy stones” that block life: distrust, fear, selfishness and resentment. These, he warned, generate social consequences such as war, injustice and isolation among peoples.
In the face of this, he called not to be paralyzed: “Many men and women, with the grace of God,» have removed those stones, even at the cost of their lives, leaving fruits of good that endure today.
Baptism and mission: proclaiming with life
The celebration included the incorporation of new Christians through Baptism, a sign of new life in Christ. Leo XIV stressed that all the faithful are called to share in this renewal, not only with words, but with concrete works of charity.
“Proclaim Christ; spread the Gospel,” he exhorted, quoting St. Augustine. The Pope insisted that true Christian witness consists in singing «with our lives the alleluia we proclaim with our lips”.
A call for peace and unity
In the final part of his homily, the Pontiff invited the faithful to commit themselves actively to the construction of a new world, marked by peace and unity. Easter, he concluded, is not just a memory, but a living force that impels us to transform reality.
“May everywhere and always, in the world, the Easter gifts of concord and peace grow and flourish,” he asked, leaving as a central message that the Resurrection not only changes history, but also the heart of every person.
