Pope Leo XIV delivers first Christmas message calling for end to violence in Middle East, Russia-Ukraine war

Pope Leo XIV appealed Thursday successful his Christmas Day connection for bid successful conflict-scarred regions, calling for an extremity to unit successful the Middle East and Ukraine.

Speaking to tens of thousands gathered successful St. Peter’s Square for his archetypal Christmas Urbi et Orbi address, Latin for "to the metropolis and to the world," Pope Leo prayed for "justice, peace, and stableness for Lebanon, Palestine, Israel, and Syria."

The pontiff past turned to the Russia-Ukraine war, calling connected believers to commune for the "tormented people" of Ukraine. 

"May the clamor of weapons cease, and whitethorn the parties involved, with the enactment and committedness of the planetary community, find the courageousness to prosecute successful sincere, nonstop and respectful dialogue," helium said.

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Pope Leo XIV waves earlier delivering the Urbi et Orbi Christmas Day blessing from the main balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica astatine the Vatican, Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025. (Gregorio Borgia/AP)

Pope Leo besides remembered civilians caught successful different conflicts, including successful parts of Africa and Asia, and prayed for bid for radical suffering nether governmental instability, spiritual persecution and terrorism.

He urged satellite leaders to cull unit and indifference, stressing that bid indispensable beryllium rooted successful justice, dialog and solidarity with the astir vulnerable.

"In becoming man, Jesus took upon himself our fragility, identifying with each 1 of us: with those who person thing near and person mislaid everything, similar the inhabitants of Gaza; with those who are prey to hunger and poverty, similar the Yemeni people; with those who are fleeing their homeland to question a aboriginal elsewhere, similar the galore refugees and migrants who transverse the Mediterranean oregon traverse the American continent," the pontiff said.

Pope Leo XIV, aft delivering the Urbi et Orbi Christmas Day blessing from the main balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica astatine the Vatican, Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025. (Gregorio Borgia/AP)

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"On this beatified day, fto america unfastened our hearts to our brothers and sisters who are successful request oregon successful pain. In doing so, we unfastened our hearts to the Child Jesus, who welcomes america with unfastened arms and reveals his divinity to us," helium added.

Pope Leo, the archetypal U.S.-born pope, was elected successful May pursuing the decease of Pope Francis and has made appeals for bid a cardinal taxable of his aboriginal papacy.

Pope Leo XIV waves earlier delivering the Urbi et Orbi Christmas Day blessing from the main balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica astatine the Vatican, Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025. (Gregorio Borgia/AP)

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He has repeatedly called for an extremity to Russia’s warfare successful Ukraine and has met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arsenic portion of his diplomatic outreach. 

The Vatican said successful July that Pope Leo expressed willingness to big representatives of some Russia and Ukraine for bid negotiations, a presumption helium has maintained.