Pope Francis expresses solidarity with Gaza and condemns wars in his Christmas sermon
In a moving message coinciding with the world's Christmas celebrations, Pope Leo XIV strongly condemned the ravages of war plaguing the world, highlighting in particular the escalating humanitarian suffering in the Gaza Strip. These words came during his first Christmas homily, delivered at Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, where he drew the world's attention to the tragedies caused by armed conflict.
A plea from the heart of the Vatican to end the suffering
The Pope used powerful language to describe the painful reality, speaking of the "rubble and open wounds" that have become a defining feature of the devastated areas. His words were not merely a traditional sermon, but a moral cry aimed at awakening the world's conscience to what he described as the "fragility of defenseless populations." His Holiness pointed out that these populations have experienced the bitterness of numerous wars, both those currently ongoing and those that have ended militarily but whose psychological and material scars remain.
Gaza's harsh winter: tents in the rain
In a poignant and compassionate gesture, the Pope addressed the daily suffering of displaced people in Gaza, asking with indignation, "How can we not think of the tents in Gaza that have been exposed for weeks to rain, wind, and cold?" This statement comes at a time when international and field reports indicate a worsening humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip with the onset of winter. Hundreds of thousands of displaced people are facing harsh weather conditions due to a lack of adequate shelter and a severe shortage of heating and winter clothing, turning the rainy season into a nightmare that threatens the lives of children and the elderly.
The human and political dimensions of the message
This homily is particularly significant given the Vatican's spiritual and political standing on the international stage. The Vatican's Christmas messages (Urbi et Orbi) and Mass sermons have long served as platforms to highlight forgotten or ignored conflicts. The Pope's focus on "rubble" and "open wounds" reflects a profound understanding that physical reconstruction is insufficient without addressing the psychological and social scars left by war. This stance is a continuation of the Catholic Church's approach of advocating for peace and protecting civilians in times of conflict, and an attempt to exert moral pressure on international decision-makers to take decisive action towards a ceasefire and the delivery of humanitarian aid.
A call for global solidarity
The Pope concluded his homily by urging the faithful and the entire world not to become desensitized to scenes of destruction, and to think of those spending the holiday under bombardment or in the open. The connection between the Christmas message of peace and the bitter reality of war places the international community before its moral responsibility to end this ongoing tragedy and ensure a dignified life for the populations exhausted by successive conflicts.
