December 26, 2025 | 12:34 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Pope Leo XIV delivered his first Christmas Mass at St. Peter's Basilica on Thursday, following his election to the papacy in May. Addressing thousands of faithful, the US-born religious leader spoke of "rubble and open wounds" and the "defenseless populations" left behind by global conflicts.
The pontiff described the story of Jesus Christ's birth in a stable as a sign of God pitching "his fragile tent" among the poorest and most desperate people in the world.
"How, then, can we not think of the tents in Gaza, exposed for weeks to rain, wind and cold?" he asked the crowd.
Leo, who succeeded Pope Francis earlier this year, has often avoided direct political references in past sermons. However, in this address, he lamented the conditions of the homeless and the destruction caused by ongoing conflict.
"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," the Pope added.
He criticized the "falsehoods" found in the "pompous speeches" of those who send young people to their deaths.
During the service, which was attended by high-ranking Church figures, diplomats, and about 6,000 faithful, Leo called Christmas a day of "faith, charity, and hope." He also criticized a "distorted economy" that he believes treats human beings as "mere merchandise."
Outside the basilica, an additional 5,000 people followed the mass on large screens. "St Peter's is very large but unfortunately it is not large enough to receive all of you," he told the gathered crowd.
Ahead of the holiday, Pope Leo XIV had called for "24 hours of peace in the whole world." He later expressed "great sadness" regarding Russia's unwillingness to accept the offer and halt hostilities in the war in Ukraine.
His message comes as humanitarian agencies warn that despite an October ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, aid remains insufficient for the nearly entirely homeless population in Gaza.
Read: Israeli Police Target Palestinian Christians During Christmas Celebration
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