Pope Leo
Speaking to tens of thousands of people gathered in St. Peter’s Square for his first Christmas “Urbi et Orbi” In his speech, Latin for “to the city and to the world,” Pope Leo prayed for “justice, peace and stability for Lebanon, Palestine, Israel and Syria.”
The Pope then turned to the war between Russia and Ukraine and called on believers to pray for the “tormented people” of Ukraine.
“May the clamoring to arms cease and may the parties involved, with the support and commitment of the international community, find the courage to engage in a sincere, direct and respectful dialogue,” he said.
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Pope Leo (Gregorio Borgia/AP)
Pope Leo also remembered civilians involved in other conflicts, including in parts of Africa and Asia, and prayed for peace for people suffering from political instability, religious persecution and terrorism.
He urged world leaders to reject violence and indifference, emphasizing that peace must be rooted in justice, dialogue and solidarity with the most vulnerable.
“By becoming human, Jesus took on our vulnerability and identified with each of us: with those who have nothing left and have lost everything, such as the inhabitants of Gaza; with those who fall prey to hunger and poverty, such as the Yemeni people; with those who flee their homeland to seek a future elsewhere, such as the many refugees and migrants who cross the Mediterranean Sea or cross the American continent,” the Pope said.
Pope Leo (Gregorio Borgia/AP)
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“On this holy day, let us open our hearts to our brothers and sisters who are in need or in pain. In doing so, we open our hearts to the Child Jesus, who welcomes us with open arms and reveals his divinity to us,” he added.
Pope Leo, the first U.S.-born pope, was elected in May after the death of Pope Francis and has made the call for peace a central theme of his early papacy.
Pope Leo (Gregorio Borgia/AP)
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He has repeatedly called for an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine and has met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as part of his diplomatic outreach.
The Vatican said in July that Pope Leo has expressed his willingness to receive representatives of both Russia and Ukraine for peace negotiations, a position he has maintained.
