By Harshit
VATICAN CITY, DECEMBER 25 —
Call for Dialogue in First Christmas Message
Pope Pope Leo urged Ukraine and Russia to find the “courage” to engage in direct peace talks, using his first Christmas Day address to press for an end to the nearly three-year-old war.
Delivering the traditional Urbi et Orbi (“to the city and the world”) blessing from St Peter’s Square, the Pope appealed for weapons to fall silent and for diplomacy to take precedence over continued bloodshed.
“May the clamour of weapons cease,” he said. “May the parties involved, with the support and commitment of the international community, find the courage to engage in sincere, direct and respectful dialogue.”
US-Led Mediation Continues Without Direct Talks
The Pope’s remarks come as the United States continues to lead diplomatic efforts aimed at brokering a settlement to the conflict. While Washington has engaged both Kyiv and Moscow separately, no direct negotiations between Ukraine and Russia have taken place during the current round of talks.
The war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions, reshaping European security and global geopolitics.
Global Conflicts Also in Focus
Beyond Ukraine, Pope Leo used his Christmas message to condemn violence and instability across the world. He expressed concern over renewed tensions between Thailand and Cambodia, where deadly border clashes have occurred despite a ceasefire agreed earlier this year.
Calling on the two nations to revive their “ancient friendship,” the Pope urged leaders to recommit to reconciliation and peaceful coexistence.
Gaza Humanitarian Crisis Highlighted
During his Christmas Day homily inside St Peter’s Basilica, Pope Leo focused on the human cost of war, particularly for vulnerable populations.
“Fragile is the flesh of defenceless populations, tried by so many wars, ongoing or concluded, leaving behind rubble and open wounds,” he said.
Turning specifically to Gaza, the Pope drew a stark comparison between the biblical story of Jesus’s birth and the present-day suffering of civilians living in makeshift shelters.
“How can we not think of the tents in Gaza,” he asked, “exposed for weeks to rain, wind and cold?”
War and Winter Deepen Gaza’s Suffering
Gaza has been devastated by more than two years of conflict following Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and Israel’s subsequent military campaign. Nearly all of Gaza’s estimated 2.1 million residents have been displaced, with large areas of housing destroyed or severely damaged.
Recent winter storms have worsened conditions for civilians, many of whom are living in tents or temporary shelters. Aid agencies have repeatedly warned that shortages of shelter materials, food, and medical supplies are pushing the territory toward a deepening humanitarian catastrophe.
Dispute Over Aid Access
Humanitarian organizations have urged Israel to allow greater volumes of aid, including tents and winter supplies, into Gaza. Israeli authorities have rejected claims that assistance is being deliberately restricted.
COGAT, the Israeli military body overseeing Gaza’s border crossings, said that nearly 310,000 tents and tarpaulins have entered the territory since the start of a ceasefire in October.
Message of Peace and Moral Urgency
Pope Leo’s Christmas address underscored his intention to place peace, humanitarian protection, and dialogue at the centre of his papacy. His appeal for direct talks between Ukraine and Russia marked one of his clearest diplomatic interventions since assuming the role of pontiff.
As wars continue to rage across multiple regions, the Pope’s message emphasized moral urgency rather than political alignment — urging world leaders to act not out of strategy, but conscience.