Pope Leo marked his inaugural Easter as pontiff this week, nearly a year after the death of his predecessor, Pope Francis, prompting continued discussion among Catholics about the direction of his papacy. His tenure unfolds amidst a significant conflict in the Middle East, initiated by US-Israeli strikes in Iran, which has brought calls for more explicit moral leadership from the Vatican.

Known for a mild-mannered and diplomatic approach, Pope Leo has on several occasions indirectly criticized the actions of US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. On Palm Sunday, he delivered his strongest condemnation yet, declaring that God disregards the prayers of leaders with "hands full of blood." Days later, on Tuesday, he directly expressed his hope to journalists that the US president would find an "off-ramp" to conclude the war in Iran, a rare instance of a pope addressing a world leader by name rather than solely their policies.

Despite these statements, some Catholics are advocating for an even more vocal stance from the pontiff. Joanne Coleman, a religion teacher from Ireland, expressed a desire for Pope Leo to be "a bit more vocal about what's going on in the world," adding, "he must get louder, especially with Trump." Gabriele, who works near St. Peter's Square, echoed this sentiment, suggesting that "now is not the time for being timid."

Before his election, as Cardinal Robert Prevost, Pope Leo had publicly criticized the Trump administration's policies on immigration and deportation, even sharing an article questioning US Vice-President JD Vance's interpretation of Christian love. This history led many to anticipate an outspoken papacy reminiscent of Pope Francis, who often condemned Trump's policies and ruptured relations with Israel over its war in Gaza. However, Pope Leo's early papacy quickly saw a shift towards diplomacy, hosting Vance and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Vatican within two weeks of his election.

In July, Pope Leo's tone on Israel intensified as he condemned the "barbarity" of the Gaza war, including an attack that struck the strip's only Catholic church. Two months later, he held a private audience with Israeli President Isaac Herzog in an attempt to foster diplomatic solutions to the conflict. Holy Week also saw tensions rise when Israeli police prevented Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem to conduct mass, an incident criticized by the US, France, and Italy, and for which Israeli authorities later apologized.

Andrea Vreede, a Vatican correspondent for the Dutch public broadcaster NOS, noted that calls for Leo to be "louder" often reflect a desire for the "fireworks or unexpected gestures" characteristic of Pope Francis. Vreede suggested that while Pope Leo's style differs, he is "not mincing his words" but might not be heard enough, an impact potentially changing since Palm Sunday. Pope Leo has also increasingly relied on his cardinals to deliver more forceful criticisms of the US-Israeli involvement in Iran.