Pope Leo XIV today repeated his call for peace from St. Peter's Basilica in his first Christmas blessing, at the end of a year overshadowed by conflict and political polarization but also marked by hopes for peace in Gaza.
«How can we forget the scenes in Gaza, which for many weeks now have been exposed to rain, wind, and cold, as well as those of so many other refugees on every continent and the places where thousands of homeless people find temporary shelter in our cities?» Pope Prebost emphasized, addressing the faithful at Christmas Mass in St. Peter's Basilica.
«It is the flesh of the civilian populations, who have suffered the consequences of wars that are still ongoing or have been completed, with ruins and wounds that remain open. The lives and thoughts of young people who have been forced to join the armies are also fragile, and on the front lines of war, they feel that what is asked of them is meaningless and that the pompous speeches of those who send them to their deaths are full of lies,» added the pontiff.
«Human flesh seeks care, acceptance, and recognition; it seeks hands capable of offering tenderness and minds willing to show attention; it needs kind words,» said Pope Leo, addressing Catholic believers. He also sent a powerful message to all people of good will, emphasizing that «when the needs of our fellow human beings find a place in our hearts, when the pain of others shatters all our strongest certainties, then peace begins.».
«Joy»
Thousands of kilometers away, the fragile ceasefire in the Gaza Strip allowed celebrations to resume in Bethlehem. As midnight approached, hundreds of worshippers gathered at the Church of the Nativity.
Christmas celebrations there have been marred by the devastating war in Gaza, which was sparked by the unprecedented attack by the Palestinian Islamist organization Hamas on October 7, 2023.
As a sign of solidarity with the Palestinians in the enclave, the celebrations had been canceled, but this year, with the ceasefire that went into effect in Gaza in October, the huge Christmas tree was lit up again in front of the Church of the Nativity. Earlier, hundreds of people filled the streets to watch the scout parade in the iconic Manger Square, singing traditional carols.
«It's a day full of joy because we couldn't celebrate due to the war,» Milagros Anstas, 17, told Agence France-Presse.
«The Power of Love»
As in other parts of the Middle East, Christians are a minority in the Holy Land, with a community of 185,000 people in Israel and 47,000 in the Palestinian territories.
The municipality of Bethlehem, however, tried to tone down the grandeur of the celebrations somewhat. This is because, despite the truce, Palestinians in Gaza continue to experience a serious humanitarian crisis.
During the service, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, delivered a sermon on peace, hope, and renewal in the face of political decisions and power balances that «often seem to determine the fate of peoples.».
«Christmas, however, invites us to look beyond the logic of domination, to rediscover the power of love, solidarity, and justice,» said the cardinal, who had celebrated Mass in Gaza on Sunday.
Politics and severe weather events
Contrary to the statements of religious leaders, US President Donald Trump wished a Merry Christmas «to everyone, including the scum of the radical left,» referring to his Democratic opponents, whom the Republican blames for all the evils of the world.
However, beyond the charged political climate in the US following his return to the White House in January, severe weather conditions are set to disrupt the end-of-year celebrations in California. Expressing fears of dangerous flooding, authorities yesterday declared a state of emergency in Los Angeles and ordered the evacuation of hundreds of homes.
In Australia, Christmas celebrations were subdued at Sydney's famous Bondi Beach after a terrorist attack that killed 15 people on December 14. Police patrolled the beach, a traditional Christmas destination, while hundreds of people, many wearing Santa hats, gathered on the sand.
«I think it's tragic, and I think everyone respects and is very sad about what happened, and I believe people are on the beach because it's like a celebration, but everyone has it etched in their memories and everyone respects what happened,» said Mark Conroy, a tourist from Britain, to Reuters.
