Pope Leo XIV, the first American to ascend to the papacy, issued a solemn call for world peace this Sunday as he marked the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks that claimed nearly three thousand lives on American soil.
Speaking in English from his studio window overlooking St. Peter’s Square during his traditional Sunday noon blessing, the Chicago-born pontiff addressed the milestone anniversary with measured reflection and urgent appeal.
“Two days ago marked the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the United States of America,” Leo stated. “I renew my prayers for those who lost their lives and for those who continue to bear the wounds of that tragic day.”
The Holy Father then broadened his message beyond the bounds of that singular tragedy, noting the persistent conflicts that continue to plague humanity a quarter century later. “At a time when conflict and violence afflict so many of our brothers and sisters, I invite everyone to pray that the Lord will bestow his gift of peace upon the world,” he said.
Continuing his remarks in Italian, Pope Leo emphasized that remembrance must translate into renewed commitment. “The memory of the tragic events of 25 years ago pushes us to renew our commitment to peace, above all with prayer.”
The Pope’s connection to that fateful day runs deeper than his American citizenship. On September 11, 2001, the man then known as Robert Prevost was in Rome attending a significant assembly of his Augustinian religious order. At that time, he served as the Chicago provincial leader of the Augustinians, a position of considerable responsibility within the order.
Three days after the attacks, on September 14, Prevost was elected superior of the entire Augustinian order on what happened to be his birthday. He would serve in that capacity for two consecutive terms until 2012, providing steady leadership during tumultuous years.
Just ten days after the attacks, on September 21, 2001, the future pontiff delivered his first homily as superior. His words from that homily, republished by Vatican News this Sunday, reveal the theological and moral framework that would shape his eventual papacy.
“We cannot fail to remember the tragic events that shook the United States on Sept. 11,” he said in that homily twenty-five years ago. “The violence that the world witnessed last week in the United States is a tragic expression of a series of problems that are becoming increasingly acute everywhere.”
Even then, Prevost connected the immediate horror to broader patterns of human injustice. “Hatred and violence will continue to grow as long as so many people are forced to live in extreme poverty and are oppressed by so many forms of injustice,” he preached.
These themes of peace, justice, and the interconnection between poverty and violence have remained consistent throughout his religious career and now his papacy. As the world continues to grapple with terrorism, regional conflicts, and humanitarian crises, Pope Leo XIV’s anniversary remembrance serves as both memorial and mission statement, calling the faithful to transform grief into action and memory into commitment.
Related: New York Giants Remember Heroes and Victims of September 11 Before Opening Game
