Pope Leo XIV has released a new book on the theme of peace titled Peace Be With You: My Words to the Church and the World. The book is the English translation of the Italian work E pace sia!, which was first published in 2025 by the publishing company HarperCollins.
The 256-page book reflects on the importance of peace in personal life, society, and the world. In the introduction, the Pope writes that conflicts often begin long before weapons are used on battlefields. According to him, division and partiality in human hearts can destroy the dignity of the weak and create the conditions for violence.
The Pope explains that peace begins to weaken when selfishness and greed become more important than the common good. He also quotes Saint Augustine, reminding readers that true understanding among people grows through friendship and respect for one another.
In the book, the Pope describes peace as both a gift from God and a responsibility for human beings. He explains that peace has two dimensions: a “vertical” relationship with God and a “horizontal” relationship with others. These two aspects, he says, cannot be separated.
The Pope also stresses the importance of teaching children the values of respect, dialogue, and compromise from a young age. When people learn to overcome pride, anger, and the desire to dominate others, they can build peace within their hearts.
The book encourages believers and all people of goodwill to work for peace in their daily lives so that a more peaceful world can be created.
