Pope Leo XIV calls for peace in Ukraine, Gaza ceasefire, release of hostages in Sunday appeal
Vatican City, May 11 (AP): Pope Leo XIV called for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine and an immediate ceasefire in Gaza with the release of hostages and delivery of humanitarian aid in his first Sunday noon blessing as pontiff.
“Never again war!” Leo said from the loggia of St Peter's Basilica.
Recalling the end of World War II 80 years ago, Leo quoted Pope Francis in denouncing the number of conflicts ravaging the globe today, saying it was a “third world war in pieces”.
Leo, the first American pope, also noted that Sunday was Mother's Day in many countries and wished all mothers, “including those in heaven” a Happy Mother's Day.
The crowd, filled with marching bands in town for a special Jubilee weekend, erupted in cheers and music as the bells of St Peter's Basilica tolled.
It was the first time that Leo had returned to the loggia since he first appeared to the world from there on Thursday night following his remarkable election as pope, the first from the United States. Then too he delivered a message of peace.
Earlier Sunday, Leo celebrated a private Mass near the tomb of St Peter with head of his Augustinian order, the Rev Alejandro Moral Anton. The Mass occurred in the grottoes underneath St Peter's, the traditional burial place of St Peter, the apostle who is considered the be the first pope.
The area, which is normally open to the public, also contains the tombs of past popes, including Pope Benedict XVI.
Leo on Saturday prayed before the tomb of Pope Francis, located across town at the St Mary Major Basilica.
The 69-year-old Chicago-born missionary was elected 267th pope on Thursday following the April 21 death of Francis.
St Peter's Square was packed with pilgrims, well-wishers and the curious, many holding up flags from their homelands. Leo gave many special groups a shoutout.
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Prime organiser of Messi event in Kolkata arrested over ‘mismanagement’ after stadium chaos
Kolkata (PTI): The police on Saturday arrested Satadru Datta, the prime organiser of the Lionel Messi football event at Salt Lake Stadium here, following widespread chaos at the venue, which prompted the Argentine World Cup-winning captain to leave the field early.
Taking suo motu cognisance of the stadium unrest, Datta was held by the Bidhannagar Police for “mismanagement” of the event from the Kolkata airport, where he had gone to see off Messi and his entourage on their way to Hyderabad.
"We are looking into whether there was any mismanagement from the organiser's side, which led to the chaos at the stadium. He has been detained, and the police have now brought the situation under control," West Bengal DGP Rajeev Kumar said at a press conference.
A senior police officer later confirmed that Dutta has been arrested. Till reports last received, the police were interrogating him and his manager inside one of the departure lounges of the airport.
The organiser has given in writing that he will refund the prices of tickets he sold to the disappointed spectators, Kumar said.
What was supposed to be a marquee football spectacle turned into widespread violence and disorder at the stadium after Messi’s brief and tightly ring-fenced appearance, his first at the venue since 2011, left large sections of the crowd frustrated, as they failed to catch a glimpse of their superstar despite having travelled from far and wide, paying hefty sums for tickets.
Police said they were also investigating how organisers allowed sale of bottled waters and beverages inside the stadium premises, which are banned items during such events.
Thousands of water bottles were used as missiles and lobbed inside the pitch by angry spectators, who also uprooted bucket seats from the gallery and used them as ammunition inside the field against the defending police and security personnel.
Spectators alleged that water bottles were being sold at a massive premium inside the stadium despite police disallowing such items from outside at the entry gates.
Police agreed there was an underlying tension in the galleries on account of Messi not showing his footballing skills on the field, which only got aggravated after a bunch of VIPs, including State Sports Minister Aroop Biswas and unidentified people, blocked the football icon’s view during the limited time he spent on the ground.
“We are on the job, and will ensure that whoever is responsible for what happened today at Salt Lake Stadium will be punished, and action will be taken against the authorities concerned,” said Jawed Shamim, ADG, Law and Order.
