First Christmas as Pope, Leo Raises Concern Over Gaza

In his Christmas sermon on Thursday, Pope Leo condemned the situation of Palestinians in Gaza, making an unusually direct appeal during a service that is typically solemn and spiritual as Christians worldwide celebrate Jesus’ birth.

Leo, the first pope from the US, remarked that the tale of Jesus’s birth in a stable illustrated how God had “pitched his fragile tent” among the world’s inhabitants.

He asked, “How can we not think of the tents in Gaza, exposed for weeks to rain, wind, and cold?”

Having been elected in May by the world’s cardinals to succeed the late Pope Francis, Leo is celebrating his first Christmas. He has a quieter, more diplomatic style than his predecessor and usually avoids political references in his sermons.

In a subsequent Christmas blessing, the pope, who has emphasized the importance of caring for immigrants during the early years of his papacy, expressed sorrow for the plight of migrants and refugees who “traverse the American continent.”

Leo, who has previously condemned US President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, did not reference Trump. During a Christmas Eve sermon on Wednesday, the pope stated that turning down help for the poor and strangers is equivalent to rejecting God himself.

In recent times, the new pope has expressed sorrow over the situation of Palestinians in Gaza on multiple occasions. Last month, he informed journalists that any solution to the long-standing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian people must involve the establishment of a Palestinian state.

After two years of intense Israeli bombardment and military operations following a deadly attack by Hamas-led fighters on Israeli communities in October 2023, Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire in October. Humanitarian agencies report that the amount of aid entering Gaza remains inadequate, as nearly the entire population is homeless.

During the Thursday service attended by thousands in St. Peter’s Basilica, Leo expressed sorrow over the plight of the homeless worldwide and the devastation brought about by war in a broader sense.

“Fragile is the flesh of defenseless populations, tried by so many wars, ongoing or concluded, leaving behind rubble and open wounds,” the pope said.

“Fragile are the minds and lives of young people forced to take up arms, who on the front lines feel the senselessness of what is asked of them and the falsehoods that fill the pompous speeches of those who send them to their deaths,” he added.

During the pope’s Christmas and Easter “Urbi et Orbi” (to the city and the world) message and blessing on Thursday, Leo appealed for a cessation of all global wars.

From the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, he addressed the thousands gathered in the square below, expressing sorrow over conflicts—political, social, or military—in Ukraine, Sudan, Mali, Myanmar, and Thailand and Cambodia, among others.

Leo stated that individuals in Ukraine, where Russian forces are menacing cities vital to the nation’s eastern defenses, have been “tormented” by violence.

“May the clamour of weapons cease, and may those involved find the courage to engage in sincere, direct, and respectful dialogue with the support and commitment of the international community,” said the pope.

Concerning Thailand and Cambodia, where border clashes have persisted for three weeks resulting in at least 80 fatalities, Leo urged the restoration of the nations’ “ancient friendship” and called for efforts aimed at reconciliation and peace.