On Thursday, Pope Leo XIV delivered a heartfelt appeal for peace during his Christmas Day message, seeking an end to the ongoing violence in the Middle East and Ukraine.

Addressing tens of thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square for his inaugural Christmas “Urbi et Orbi” message, which translates to “to the city and to the world,” the Pope expressed his hopes for “justice, peace, and stability” in Lebanon, Palestine, Israel, and Syria.

The Pope then shifted his focus to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, urging the faithful to pray for the “suffering people” of Ukraine.

“Let the sound of weapons be silenced, and may those involved, with the support and dedication of the international community, muster the bravery needed to engage in honest, direct, and respectful dialogue,” he implored.

Pope Leo XIV, standing on the main balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, offered the “Urbi et Orbi” Christmas blessing, capturing a poignant moment captured by photographers, including Gregorio Borgia of the Associated Press.

The Pope’s message also acknowledged civilians trapped in conflicts across Africa and Asia. He prayed for peace for those enduring political instability, religious persecution, and terrorism.

He urged world leaders to reject violence and indifference, stressing that peace must be rooted in justice, dialogue and solidarity with the most vulnerable.

“In becoming man, Jesus took upon himself our fragility, identifying with each one of us: with those who have nothing left and have lost everything, like the inhabitants of Gaza; with those who are prey to hunger and poverty, like the Yemeni people; with those who are fleeing their homeland to seek a future elsewhere, like the many refugees and migrants who cross the Mediterranean or traverse the American continent,” the pontiff said.

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

“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,” he added.

Pope Leo, the first U.S.-born pope, was elected in May following the death of Pope Francis and has made appeals for peace a central theme of his early papacy.

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

He has repeatedly called for an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine and has met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as part of his diplomatic outreach. 

The Vatican said in July that Pope Leo expressed willingness to host representatives of both Russia and Ukraine for peace negotiations, a position he has maintained.