At his first general audience, Pope Leo XIV called for an end to the war in Gaza and reflected on hope, drawing inspiration from Van Gogh’s "The Sower at Sunset."

The Election of Pope Leo XIV delighted and surprised many Catholics and non-Catholics alike. His first words before he gave his apostolic blessing, “Urbi et Orbi” (“To the City and the World”), were memorable.

VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV called Wednesday for humanitarian aid to reach the Gaza Strip and for an end to the “heartbreaking” toll on its people, as he presided over his first general audience in St. Peter’s Square.