Pope Leo XIV delivered his first Christmas address as pontiff to issue a sweeping appeal for empathy, peace and international cooperation, focusing repeatedly on the suffering caused by war, poverty and displacement, particularly in Gaza and Ukraine.
Addressing about 26,000 people from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica for the traditional “Urbi et Orbi” blessing, the first U.S.-born pope urged believers to reject indifference and recognize the shared fragility of humanity. He framed the Christmas story as a reminder that suffering and hope are inseparable. The Pope said: “In becoming man, Jesus took upon himself our fragility, identifying with each one of us: with those who have nothing left and have lost everything, like the inhabitants of Gaza; with those who are prey to hunger and poverty, like the Yemeni people; with those who are fleeing their homeland to seek a future elsewhere, like the many refugees and migrants who cross the Mediterranean or traverse the American continent.”
Earlier in the day, Leo presided over his first Christmas Day Mass beneath the ornate interior of St. Peter’s Basilica. In his homily, he stressed that peace can only emerge through genuine listening and dialogue, saying: “There will be peace when our monologues are interrupted and, enriched by listening, we fall to our knees before the humanity of the other.” Leo spoke directly about Gaza, describing civilians living in extreme conditions amid continuing humanitarian distress. “How, then, can we not think of the tents in Gaza, exposed for weeks to rain, wind and cold?” He broadened his message to include civilians in other conflict zones, warning that “fragile is the flesh of defenseless populations, tried by so many wars, ongoing or concluded, leaving behind rubble and open wounds.” He also highlighted the plight of young people forced into combat, saying they experience “the senselessness of what is asked of them, and the falsehoods that fill the pompous speeches of those who send them to their deaths.”
Leo also appealed directly for an end to fighting in Ukraine during his Christmas blessing, calling on all sides to pursue talks. “May the clamour of weapons cease, and may the parties involved, with the support and commitment of the international community, find the courage to engage in sincere, direct and respectful dialogue,” he said. He offered prayers for what he described as the “tormented people of Ukraine,” nearly four years into the war triggered by Russia’s 2022 invasion.
The pope also called for justice, peace and stability across the Middle East, including Lebanon, Israel, the Palestinian territories and Syria, and remembered victims of violence and instability in Sudan, South Sudan, Mali, Burkina Faso and Congo. He urged reconciliation in Myanmar, renewed dialogue across Latin America, and humanitarian support for communities affected by natural disasters in South Asia and Oceania. Addressing tensions in Southeast Asia, he appealed for the restoration of “the ancient friendship between Thailand and Cambodia.”
Leo revived the tradition of offering holiday greetings in multiple languages, drawing cheers when he spoke in English and Spanish – the latter reflecting his years as a missionary and archbishop in Peru. Leo, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost of Chicago, was elected in May, becoming the first American pope in Church history. His inaugural Christmas celebrations come as the Catholic Church approaches the close of the Holy Year, set to conclude on Jan. 6 with the Feast of the Epiphany.
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