Pope Leo XIV breaks tradition of acknowledging the Netherlands in first Easter address

Pope Leo XIV broke with long-standing Vatican tradition Sunday, omitting any reference to the Netherlands during his first Easter address and failing to acknowledge the country’s annual flower contribution to St. Peter’s Square.

Speaking to a packed St. Peter’s Square, Leo focused his message on global conflict and urged world leaders to “choose peace,” warning of growing public indifference to violence. “We are becoming accustomed to violence, resigning ourselves to it and growing indifferent to the deaths of thousands of people,” he said. He added that a “globalization of indifference” is spreading, echoing the language use of his predecessor, Franciscus.

The address marked a departure from a decades-long Easter tradition involving Dutch flower growers. For the 40th consecutive year, the Netherlands supplied about 65,000 tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths displayed in St. Peter’s Square.

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https://nltimes.nl/2026/04/05/pope-leo-xiv-breaks-tradition-acknowledging-netherlands-first-easter-address

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