In his first Christmas Urbi et Orbi address in Vatican City on Thursday, 25 December, Pope Leo XIV stressed a message about the importance of peace. He noted the parts of the world that are currently plagued by armed conflict, praying for ‘justice, peace, and stability for Lebanon, Palestine, Israel, and Syria’. He also listed Sudan, South Sudan, Mali, Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Myanmar, Thailand, and Cambodia as the nations currently involved in combat.
The Pope gave special attention to the war in Ukraine among all the conflicts, saying that he hopes that the belligerent parties will find ‘the courage’ to start engaging in direct and sincere peace negotiations. ‘May the clamour of weapons cease, and may the parties involved, with the support and commitment of the international community, find the courage to engage in sincere, direct and respectful dialogue,’ His Holiness declared, as quoted by BBC.com.
Pope Leo XIV is continuing the rhetoric of his predecessor, Pope Francis, regarding the Russo-Ukrainian war. Pope Francis was also one of the most prominent advocates for a negotiated peace between Russia and Ukraine on the world stage, along with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán of Hungary.
Pope Leo succeeded the deceased Pope Francis on the papal throne in May of this year. Born in Chicago, Illinois, the 70-year-old clergyman is the first American to lead the Catholic Church.
In his Christmas address, Pope Leo reminded all that while ‘God is our peace; he has conquered hatred and enmity through God’s merciful love. For this reason, “the Lord’s birth is the birth of peace,”’ quoting Saint Leo the Great, he also stressed that ‘responsibility is the sure way to peace,’ and encouraged all to take on their own share of responsibility in creating it.
On the more topical theme of the birth of Christ, the Pope stated that Jesus ‘was born in a stable because there was no room for Him in the inn’, and that the Son of God, ‘through whom all things were created,’ was not welcomed in this world at his birth. However, as Pope Leo put it, ‘out of love, he accepted poverty and rejection, identifying Himself with those who are discarded and excluded’.
Staying on the topic of the Nativity scene, His Holiness added that, ‘we glimpse the fundamental decision that would guide the entire life of the Son of God…the decision not to leave us under the burden of sin, but to bear it Himself for us,’ as quoted by Vatican City’s official news site Vaticannews.va.
‘Christ our hope remains with us always,’ Pope Leo ended his first Christmas address.
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