Vatican City: During his recent visit to the historic Santa Maria di Galeria Transmission Center, Pope Leo XIV voiced a heartfelt appeal for global peace, lamenting the growing toll of armed conflict across the world. Speaking to Italy’s Tg1 news, the Pope reflected on the enduring importance of Vatican Radio and its outreach, especially to the world’s most isolated regions.
Just outside the gates of the center which has been the heart of Vatican Radio’s broadcasting operations for over 90 years the Pope paused to share a few words with journalist Ignazio Ingrao. Recalling the devastation caused by modern warfare, Pope Leo XIV called for an end to violence and urged the international community to choose diplomacy over destruction. “Once again, I raise my voice for peace,” he said. “Let us do everything in our power to keep weapons silent. Let us turn to dialogue and work together to bring an end to the suffering of countless innocent lives.”
Reflecting on Vatican Radio’s legacy, Pope Leo spoke with warmth about the radio’s deep personal significance. He revealed that during his missionary years in Latin America, he often relied on a small radio to tune into Vatican broadcasts particularly in remote mountainous areas with no other means of communication. “Even there,” he said, “I could hear Vatican Radio always offering a message of hope.”
He shared similar memories from his time in Africa as a leader of the Augustinian order. “At night, wherever I was, I’d find news and comfort a good word from Vatican Radio, which is a truly vital service.”
Pope Leo XIV also praised the new solar energy initiative underway at the Santa Maria di Galeria Center. Building on Pope Francis’ motu proprio Fratello Sole, the site is being transformed with agrivoltaic technology aimed at achieving full energy self-sufficiency.
Calling the project “a powerful witness to ecological responsibility,” Pope Leo said this transition shows the Church’s determination to lead by example in the face of the climate crisis. “It’s a beautiful and timely opportunity,” he said, “to show our dedication to the care of creation a mission that Pope Francis has articulated with clarity and urgency.”
In both his message of peace and environmental stewardship, Pope Leo XIV reaffirms the Church’s role as a moral compass in today’s troubled world carrying forward a message of dialogue, responsibility, and hope.