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Pope Leo XIV used his inaugural Christmas Day sermon on Thursday to remember the people of Gazawhom he said had had to endure “weeks of rain, wind and cold”, stressing that many of the world’s conflicts can only be resolved through genuine dialogue.
Leading the Christmas Day Mass from the central altar under the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, which was decorated with festive flower garlands and clusters of red poinsettias, the pontiff delivered a poignant message.
White flowers were carefully placed at the feet of the statue of Mary, the mother of Jesus, whose birth is celebrated on this day.
remembering the incarnation of God through the birth of jesus bethlehem The manger, compared to Leo GodWords from “A Fragile Tent Among Us.”
Then he asked, drawing a direct parallel: “Then how can we not think of tents Gazaexposed to rain, wind, and cold for several weeks; And of so many other refugees and displaced persons on every continent, or of the thousands of homeless people in temporary shelters in our own cities?”
The Pontiff also reflected on the insecurity of “a population defenseless because of so many wars” and the plight of “the youth forced to take up arms”, who feel the insensitivity of what is asked of them on the front lines, and the lies in the pompous speeches of those who send them to death.
Emphasizing that peace can only come from genuine conversation, Leo said: “Peace will come when our monologues are interrupted and, enriched by listening, we fall on our knees before the humanity of the other.”
Thousands of worshipers prayed at the basilica for the Pope’s first Christmas Day Mass, many holding up their smartphones to watch the inaugural procession.
Leo was later scheduled to deliver the traditional “Urbi et Orbi” blessing – Latin for “To the City and the World” – from a loggia overlooking St. Peter’s Square, where the faithful had gathered despite persistent rain.
This Christmas season marks the conclusion of the Holy Year celebrations, which is scheduled to end on January 6, coinciding with the Catholic Epiphany holiday, which commemorates the meeting of the three wise men with the infant Jesus. bethlehem,