Pope Leo XIV addressed the world for the first time as pontiff on 8 May 2025, from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, calling for “a peace that is unarmed and disarming.” (ABC News) With this brief but evocative phrase, he signaled continuity with his predecessor, Pope Francis, while opening a new chapter for the Catholic Church and its engagement with the world’s faith traditions. For Buddhists, especially those attentive to global peacebuilding and interreligious cooperation, Pope Leo’s pontificate may offer new opportunities for meaningful dialogue and shared action.
Much like Pope Francis, whose 12-year papacy saw historic advances in…