Delivering his first Christmas message as pontiff, Pope Leo made a heartfelt call for peace on Monday, urging Russia and Ukraine to summon the courage to begin direct negotiations and bring their devastating war to an end.
Speaking from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square, the Pope used his traditional Urbi et Orbi address—his message “to the city and to the world”—to focus on the human cost of conflict and the moral imperative of peace.
Turning to Ukraine, he appealed for an end to the violence and for leaders on both sides to show the political will to meet face-to-face. He acknowledged the importance of international mediation but stressed that true and lasting peace ultimately requires the parties in conflict to have the courage to sit down and talk directly with one another.
Behind the scenes, Western diplomats, including those from the United States, continue to search for formulas that could bring the two sides back to the negotiating table. So far, direct talks between Kyiv and Moscow have not resumed.
Wider Appeal for Calm
The Pope also widened his lens to other parts of the world. In Southeast Asia, he expressed alarm over renewed instability, pointing in particular to deadly skirmishes along the Thailand–Cambodia border despite a formal ceasefire earlier this year. He urged both governments to rebuild trust, drawing on their long history of cooperation to avoid further bloodshed.
Earlier that day, during Christmas Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Leo spoke about the hardships faced by civilians caught in wars across the globe. He painted a somber picture of families displaced from their homes, cities left in ruins, and the deep physical and emotional scars that persist long after the fighting has ceased.
Gaza and the Global Humanitarian Crisis
Drawing on the story of Christ’s birth, the Pope tied his message of hope and humility to the unfolding crisis in Gaza. He noted that many families there still crowd into makeshift shelters as winter rain and cold deepen their hardship.
Nearly two years after the Hamas-led assault on Israel on October 7, 2023, Gaza remains shattered by relentless conflict. Most of its people have been forced from their homes, and relief organizations continue to battle daunting logistical barriers amid a deepening humanitarian emergency. Israeli authorities, for their part, maintain that large quantities of relief supplies have entered the territory since the October ceasefire.
“Human Dignity at the Center”
Pope Leo concluded his Christmas address with an impassioned call for empathy and moral resolve. He called on both leaders and ordinary citizens to make human dignity the guiding principle in every decision they take.
“Peace,” he told the world, “is not merely written or declared—it is a shared duty that demands our unwavering dedication.”
