Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on December 25, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 20, 2026
Add as preferred source on GooglePope Leo's first Christmas sermon highlights Gaza's dire conditions, urging for a Palestinian state and addressing global conflicts.
By Joshua McElwee
VATICAN CITY, Dec 25 (Reuters) - Pope Leo decried conditions for Palestinians in Gaza in his Christmas sermon on Thursday, in an unusually direct appeal during what is normally a solemn, spiritual service on the day Christians across the globe celebrate the birth of Jesus.
Leo, the first U.S. pope, said the story of Jesus being born in a stable showed that God had "pitched his fragile tent" among the people of the world.
"How, then, can we not think of the tents in Gaza, exposed for weeks to rain, wind and cold?" he asked.
Leo, celebrating his first Christmas after being elected in May by the world's cardinals to succeed the late Pope Francis, has a more quiet, diplomatic style than his predecessor and usually refrains from making political references in his sermons.
But the new pope has also lamented the conditions for Palestinians in Gaza several times recently and told journalists last month that the only solution in the decades-long conflict between Israel and the Palestinian people must include a Palestinian state.
Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire in October after two years of intense bombardment and military operations, but humanitarian agencies say there is still too little aid getting into Gaza, where nearly the entire population is homeless.
In Thursday's service with thousands in St. Peter's Basilica, Leo also lamented conditions for the homeless across the globe and the destruction caused by the wars roiling the world.
"Fragile is the flesh of defenseless populations, tried by so many wars, ongoing or concluded, leaving behind rubble and open wounds," said the pope.
"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 said.
Later on Thursday the pope will deliver a twice-yearly "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the world) message and blessing, which usually addresses global conflicts.
(Reporting by Joshua McElweeEditing by Peter Graff)
Humanitarian aid refers to assistance provided for humanitarian purposes, typically in response to crises such as natural disasters or conflicts, aiming to save lives and alleviate suffering.
A Palestinian state refers to a sovereign state that would represent the Palestinian people, encompassing territories such as the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and is a central issue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The pope is the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, responsible for guiding the church's spiritual and administrative functions, as well as addressing global issues from a moral perspective.
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