By Ayomide Otitoju
Pope Leo XIV on Thursday called on Russia and Ukraine to summon the “courage” to engage in direct peace talks, while also drawing attention to the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza, in his first Christmas message as pontiff.
Addressing an estimated 26,000 worshippers in St Peter’s Square, the US-born pope, elected in May following the death of Pope Francis, condemned what he described as the “senselessness” of war and the devastation it leaves in its wake. He urged greater solidarity with vulnerable populations, particularly in Europe, in remarks seen as a veiled reference to rising anti-immigration sentiment.
“Let us pray in a particular way for the tormented people of Ukraine,” the pope said, adding that the parties involved should, with international support, find the courage to engage in “sincere, direct and respectful dialogue.”
The war in Ukraine, triggered by Russia’s invasion in February 2022, has claimed tens of thousands of lives, devastated large parts of eastern Ukraine and displaced millions. While Ukrainian officials have recently held talks with US negotiators on proposals to end the conflict, Russian President Vladimir Putin has shown little sign of softening his demands.
In his Christmas homily, Pope Leo also highlighted the dire conditions in Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of people remain displaced weeks after a fragile ceasefire took hold. He pointed to families living in makeshift shelters exposed to cold, rain and wind, noting that many residents have lost everything.
The United Nations estimates that about 1.3 million people in Gaza are in need of shelter assistance and has warned of growing risks of hypothermia as temperatures fall.
Meanwhile, Christmas celebrations returned to Bethlehem for the first time in more than two years, as hundreds of worshippers gathered at the Church of the Nativity and joined festive processions through the city’s streets. In Syria, Christmas lights illuminated parts of Damascus’s Old City, offering a moment of hope to the Christian community despite lingering security concerns.
Elsewhere, world leaders marked the season with contrasting messages. In the United States, President Donald Trump issued a sharply worded Christmas greeting, while in Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese struck a sombre tone following a deadly attack during a Hanukkah celebration earlier this month.
