Pope Leo
The pope prayed for the victims and the “gift of peace and fraternity” during the holidays as he spoke during an audience with the donors of the Vatican’s Christmas decorations.
“We pray for those who suffer from war and violence, and especially today I want to entrust to the Lord the victims of the terrorist attack in Sydney against the Jewish community,” the pope said on Monday.
“Enough of these forms of anti-Semitic violence!” he continued. “We must banish hatred from our hearts.”
Terror attack in Australia: 16 dead, including gunman, after father-son duo open fire on Jewish community
Pope Leo (AP)
Leo offered similar prayers in an official telegram of condolence sent to the Archbishop of Sydney, Most. Rev. Anthony Fisher.
The pope prayed “with renewed hope that those tempted to violence will repent and seek the path of peace and solidarity,” said the telegram signed by the Vatican secretary of state.
At least 15 victims were killed and dozens of others injured in last weekend’s massacre at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, where hundreds had gathered for a ‘Chanukah by the Sea’ event to mark the start of the Jewish festival. One of the gunmen was shot dead by police, while the other was taken to hospital with injuries.
A man identified as Ahmed al Ahmed is being hailed as a hero for tackling and disarming one of the gunmen. He was shot but is recovering in a hospital.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese denounced the shooting as an act of anti-Semitic terrorism and vowed to strengthen the country’s already strict gun laws.
Pope Leo (AP)
The attack was an “act of pure evil, an act of anti-Semitism, an act of terrorism,” Albanese said.
Leo also delivered a strong anti-abortion message during the audience with the donors of the Vatican’s Christmas decorations, which he described as a sign of “faith and hope.”
The Pope said the evergreen pine trees donated by several Italian regions are “a sign of life and a reminder of the hope that is not lacking even in the winter cold.”
He said another sign of life was reflected in the nativity scene in the Vatican audience hall, which was donated by Costa Rica. It contained 28,000 ribbons representing embryos that had not been aborted.
GAL GADOT AND ASHTON KUTCHER CONDEMN ANTI-SEMITIC TERROR ATTACK AT BONDI BEACH HANUKKAH EVENT
Ribbons that Catholic groups say represent lives saved from abortion are seen at Nacimiento Gaudium, a nativity scene set during an audience led by Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican, Monday, December 15, 2025. (AP)
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“Each of these 28,000 colored ribbons that decorate the scene represents a life saved from abortion thanks to the prayer and support that Catholic organizations provide to many mothers in need,” the Pope said.
Leo thanked the artist for the message affirming that “life is protected from conception.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
