Pope Leo XIV has called on the international community to reject the belief that peace is unattainable or can be secured through military escalation, urging a renewed commitment to diplomacy and nonviolence. In his message for the World Day of Peace, the Pope framed peace not as a distant ideal but as a responsibility rooted in human choice and moral courage. Drawing attention to the image of the Christ Child, he presented vulnerability as a force capable of transforming hearts and political priorities. The Pope warned that contemporary public discourse increasingly treats preparedness for war as a virtue, a mindset he described as destabilizing and dangerous. He cautioned that such logic extends beyond legitimate defense and risks drawing the world toward a broader and unpredictable conflict, emphasizing that peace must be actively nurtured rather than postponed or dismissed as unrealistic.
Referencing the suffering of children affected by war, Pope Leo XIV pointed to conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, and other regions often overlooked by global attention. He stressed that contemplation of the Christ Child cannot be separated from awareness of children killed by bombardment, displacement, and deprivation. For the Pope, the Incarnation reveals a God who chooses dependence and fragility, challenging humanity to rethink power and security. He reminded Christians that peace and nonviolence are deeply rooted in the Gospel, recalling Christ’s rejection of armed defense at the moment of his arrest. The Pope acknowledged that history shows how even Christians have at times justified violence, warning that the same temptation persists today when war is framed as a necessary path to stability.
The Pope also addressed global priorities, questioning the continued rise in military spending while humanitarian needs remain unmet. He called for courage to pursue peace through diplomacy, negotiation, mediation, and respect for international law, alongside renewed support for international institutions. Pope Leo XIV urged believers and nonbelievers alike not to allow fatalism to dominate political and cultural debate, insisting that peace depends on human responsibility rather than impersonal forces. He appealed for spiritual, cultural, and political initiatives that sustain hope and resist narratives that normalize rearmament. Presenting peace as inseparable from the defenseless face of the Christ Child, the Pope underscored that authentic security arises not from deterrence but from moral clarity and collective commitment.
