Vatican City: Pope Leo delivered a rare and direct appeal on the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza during his Christmas sermon on Thursday, using the solemn occasion to draw attention to the human cost of war.
Marking his first Christmas as pontiff, the first pope from the United States reflected on the Nativity story and said it showed how God chose to dwell among humanity in fragility. He urged worshippers to think of families in Gaza living in tents, exposed for weeks to rain, wind, and cold.
Elected in May to succeed Pope Francis, Pope Leo is known for a measured and diplomatic tone and generally avoids political references in sermons. His remarks, therefore, stood out on a day usually reserved for spiritual reflection as Christians around the world celebrated the birth of Jesus.
On this holy day, let us open our hearts to our brothers and sisters who are in need or in pain. In doing so, we open our hearts to the Child Jesus, who welcomes us with open arms and reveals his divinity to us. #Christmas https://t.co/Z7hx20E9iq
— Pope Leo XIV (@Pontifex) December 25, 2025
During a later Christmas blessing, the pope also spoke about the plight of migrants and refugees, particularly those travelling across the American continent. Care for migrants has emerged as a central theme of his early papacy. While he has previously criticised tough immigration policies in the United States, he made no direct reference to President Donald Trump.
In recent weeks, Leo has repeatedly expressed concern over conditions in Gaza and has said that any lasting solution to the decades-long conflict between Israel and the Palestinians must include a Palestinian state.
Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire in October after two years of intense fighting that followed a deadly Hamas-led attack on Israeli communities in October 2023. Aid agencies say humanitarian assistance reaching Gaza remains inadequate, with much of the territory destroyed and nearly the entire population displaced.
Speaking to thousands gathered inside Saint Peter’s Basilica, the pope also lamented the suffering caused by war more broadly. He spoke of defenceless populations scarred by conflicts that leave behind destruction and lasting wounds, and of young people forced to take up arms and sent into battle by leaders far from the front lines.
Later, during his traditional Urbi et Orbi address delivered from the central balcony of Saint Peter’s Basilica, the Pope called for an end to wars across the world. He referred to conflicts in Ukraine, Sudan, Mali, Myanmar, and along the border between Thailand and Cambodia.
He said people in Ukraine continued to be tormented by violence as Russian forces threatened key cities in the east, and urged all sides to pursue sincere and direct dialogue. Referring to the fighting between Thailand and Cambodia that has entered its third week and left dozens dead, he appealed for reconciliation and the restoration of peace between the two neighbours.
The pope’s Christmas message combined faith with a clear call for compassion, urging the world not to turn away from those suffering amid war, displacement, and poverty.
