D002-VATICANO PAPA VIGILIA SABADO SANTO

STORY: Pope Leo led the world's Catholics into Easter at a Saturday night vigil Mass in St. Peter's Basilica on April 4, urging people not to feel numbed by the scope of the conflicts raging across the world but to work for peace.

Leo, who has emerged as an outspoken critic of the Iran war, said that mistrust and fear have been allowed to "sever the bonds between us through war, injustice and the isolation of peoples and nations."

"Let us not allow ourselves to be paralysed!" the first U.S. pope exhorted in a service for the holiest night in the Catholic calendar, when the Bible says Jesus rose from the dead.

Leo, who is known for choosing his words carefully, did not mention any specific conflicts during the service, at which he also baptized 10 adult converts to Catholicism.

The pope said last Sunday (March 29) that God rejects the prayers of leaders who start wars and have "hands full of blood." He made a direct appeal to U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday (March 31), urging the president to find an "off-ramp" to end the war.

The pope will conclude his Easter celebrations on Sunday (April 5) with a Mass in St. Peter's Square and will deliver a special blessing and message, which is usually a time when he makes a major international appeal.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: VATICAN CITY (APRIL 4, 2026) (VATICAN MEDIA - Access all)

1. POPE LEO WALKING TO THRONE

2. ALTAR SERVERS APPROACHING POPE

3. POPE BLESSING FIRE

4. FIRE

5. CLERIC BRINGING CANDLE TO POPE

6. POPE LIGHTING CANDLE

7. CLERIC CARRYING CANDLE AWAY

8. CLERIC GIVING CANDLE TO POPE

9. CLERGY STARTING PROCESSION

10. VARIOUS OF PROCESSION ALONG ST PETER’S BASILICA AISLE / CANDLES LIGHTING UP IN DARKNESS

11. LIGHTS TURNING ON IN ST PETER’S BASILICA

12. POPE WALKING ON ALTAR

13. CLERGY HOLDING CANDLES

14. FLOWERS / POPE HOLDING CANDLE IN BACKGROUND

15. NUNS SINGING

16. LIGHTS GROWING BRIGHTER

17. CLERIC PLAYING PIANO

18. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) POPE LEO SAYING:

"Even today there are tombs to be opened, and often the stones sealing them are so heavy and so closely guarded that they seem immovable. Some weigh heavily on the human heart, such as mistrust, fear, selfishness and resentment. Others, stemming from those inner ones, sever the bonds between us through war, injustice and the isolation of peoples and nations. Let us not allow ourselves to be paralysed."

19. FAITHFUL LOOKING ON

20. CLERGY POURING WATER INTO BAPTISMAL FONT

21. VARIOUS OF POPE BAPTISING FAITHFUL

22. CEREMONY IN PROGRESS

23. GODPARENTS APPROACHING NEWLY BAPTISED

24. GODPARENTS DRESSING NEWLY BAPTISED IN WHITE

25. POPE SPEAKING

26. CANDLES

27. NEWLY BAPTISED HOLDING CANDLES

28. NEWLY BAPTISED RECEIVING CONFIRMATION

29. CHOIR SINGING

30. SWISS GUARDS STANDING / POPE STANDING ON ALTAR IN BACKGROUND