Pope Leo XIV, the first U.S. pontiff, delivered his inaugural Christmas Day 'Urbi et Orbi' message, urging the faithful to combat indifference towards the suffering, including those in Gaza and Yemen, and migrants. He called for global peace, justice, and dialogue, reviving multilingual greetings.
On his first Christmas Day as pontiff, Pope Leo XIV addressed 26,000 people in St. Peter’s Square for his traditional 'Urbi et Orbi' message, a summary of global woes. The first U.S. Pope urged the faithful to abandon indifference towards the world's most vulnerable, specifically mentioning those who have lost everything in Gaza, the impoverished in Yemen, and migrants crossing the Mediterranean and American continents. He emphasized that peace could be achieved through humility, responsibility, and dialogue, stating, 'If he would truly enter into the suffering of others and stand in solidarity with the weak and the oppressed, then the world would change.' Pope Leo XIV called for 'justice, peace and stability' in regions like Lebanon, the Palestinian territories, Israel, and Syria, and offered prayers for the 'tormented people of Ukraine.' He also sought 'peace and consolation' for victims of wars, injustice, political instability, religious persecution, and terrorism in Sudan, South Sudan, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Congo. His message extended to Latin America, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and those affected by natural disasters in South Asia and Oceania. He also remembered the jobless, underpaid workers, and prisoners. Earlier, during the Christmas Day Mass, Pope Leo XIV reiterated that peace emerges only through dialogue, urging people to 'interrupt monologues' and listen to the humanity of others. He revived the tradition of offering Christmas greetings in multiple languages, receiving warm cheers for his native English and Spanish. This Christmas season marks the nearing end of the Holy Year celebrations, set to conclude on January 6.
