Pope Leo XIV marked the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on Sunday by calling for a global commitment to peace. Speaking from his studio window overlooking St. Peter’s Square during his traditional noon blessing, the Chicago-born pope offered prayers for those who died and those still affected by the events.
The address, delivered on Sept. 13, 2026, was the first time the pope, the first American to hold the office, publicly commented on this specific anniversary. In his remarks, delivered in both English and Italian, he invited the public to pray for peace at a time when he noted conflict and violence continue to affect many people worldwide.
In addition to the pope's remarks, Archbishop Paul Coakley, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), issued a statement on Sept. 9, 2026. He invited Catholics to pray for the victims at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and in rural Pennsylvania. The Diocese of Cleveland also scheduled a "Blue Mass" on Sept. 11 to honor first responders and emergency workers.
Prior to his election as pope, Robert Prevost was the Chicago provincial leader of the Augustinians. On Sept. 11, 2001, he was in Rome for a general assembly of his religious order. He was elected superior of the order three days later, on Sept. 14, 2001, which was his birthday. In a homily delivered on Sept. 21, 2001, he stated that hatred and violence would continue to grow as long as people are forced to live in extreme poverty and oppression.
The statements from the Vatican and the USCCB highlight a focus on international peace and the role of religious institutions in conflict resolution. For the general public, the pope’s message translates to a call for daily prayer and "universal fraternity" rather than revenge. The scale of the event is framed not only by the lives lost in 2001 but by the ongoing global conflicts that the pope said currently afflict "so many of our brothers and sisters."
The commemorations also reinforce the history of papal responses to the 2001 attacks, continuing a precedent set by John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis. By republishing Leo XIV's 2001 homily, the Vatican emphasizes a policy linking global violence to underlying issues of poverty and injustice. Moving forward, the USCCB has called for a renewed mission to build peace in a "fractured and divided world," though specific legislative or policy initiatives following this anniversary were not reported.