Pope Leo XIV mentions Gaza in his first Christmas homily

Pope Leo XIV condemned the 'rubble and open wounds' left behind by wars, singling out the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza in his first Christmas homily.

The 70-year-old pope, the first American ever to lead the Catholic Church, presided over the Holy Mass at 10am on the Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord inside St Peter’s Basilica, as thousands gathered in Rome and millions watched around the world.

In a sermon heavy with imagery and moral urgency, Leo drew parallels between the vulnerability of the infant Jesus and the suffering of civilians trapped in war zones today.

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

Reflecting on the Nativity story of Christ being born in a stable, Leo said it showed how God had ‘pitched his fragile tent’ among humanity - a symbol he quickly linked to the modern reality of displacement and suffering.

‘How, then, can ‌we not think of the tents in Gaza, exposed for weeks to rain, wind and cold?’ he ⁠asked.

The remarks marked a notable moment for the newly elected pontiff, who was chosen in May by the world’s cardinals to succeed the late Pope Francis. 

Known for a more cautious and diplomatic tone than his predecessor, Leo typically avoids explicit political references in sermons.

Yet despite that reputation, the pope has repeatedly lamented the plight of Palestinians in Gaza in recent weeks and has stated that the only viable resolution to the decades-long conflict between Israel and the Palestinian people must include the creation of a Palestinian state.

Addressing a packed basilica during Thursday’s service, Leo also spoke movingly about homelessness and the devastation caused by wars across the globe.

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

He went on to criticise the leaders who send young people into combat, describing the emotional and moral toll on those forced to fight.

‘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.

As the pontiff spoke in Rome, celebrations were also returning cautiously elsewhere. 

In Bethlehem, the Christian community marked its first festive Christmas in more than two years as the occupied West Bank city emerged from the shadow cast by the war in Gaza.

Later on Thursday, Leo is set to deliver his twice-yearly Urbi et Orbi message and blessing at noon - an address that traditionally touches on global conflicts and appeals for peace.

His Christmas Day homily followed a powerful Christmas Eve sermon in which the pope warned that turning away those in need was tantamount to rejecting God himself.

Leo, who has made care for immigrants and the poor central themes of his early papacy, said Christ’s birth demonstrated God’s presence in every human being as he led the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics into Christmas. 

‘On earth, there is no room for God if there is no room for the human person. To refuse one is to refuse the other,’ said the pope during the solemn service, attended by around 6,000 worshippers inside the basilica.

The pope, who has previously criticised Donald Trump’s divisive immigration crackdown, also quoted Pope Benedict XVI, lamenting a world that neglects children, the poor and foreigners.

‘While a distorted economy leads us to treat human beings as mere merchandise, God becomes like us, revealing the infinite dignity of every person,’ said Leo.

‘Where there is room for the human person, there is room for God. Even a stable can become more sacred than a temple.’

Outside St Peter’s Basilica, some 5,000 people watched the service on giant screens in St Peter’s Square, sheltering under umbrellas and ponchos as heavy rain fell across Rome.

Leo briefly emerged before the mass to greet the soaked crowds, praising their determination to attend despite the weather.

‘I admire and respect and thank you for your courage and your wanting to be here this evening, even in this weather.’

Meanwhile in Bethlehem, hundreds gathered Wednesday night at the Church of the Nativity for midnight mass as the city welcomed its first full Christmas celebrations since the outbreak of war in Gaza.

Since Hamas’s attack on Israel in October 2023, a sombre atmosphere had overshadowed Christmas in the biblical birthplace of Jesus. 

But this year, parades and music returned as a fragile truce held in Gaza, where hundreds of thousands remain displaced in makeshift tents through winter.

Inside the church, pews filled long before midnight, with many forced to stand or sit on the floor. 

At 11.15pm, organ music echoed as dozens of clergymen processed inside, followed by Jerusalem’s Latin Patriarch, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, who blessed the congregation.

In his homily, Pizzaballa urged peace and renewal, stressing the enduring relevance of the Nativity story amid modern turmoil.

He also recalled his recent visit to Gaza, saying ‘suffering is still present’ despite the ceasefire.

‘The wounds are deep, yet I have to say, here too, there too, their proclamation of Christmas resounds,’ he said.

‘When I met them, I was struck by their strength and desire to start over.’

Elsewhere, Christmas lights illuminated Damascus’s Old City in Syria, even as the Christian community remained fearful following a deadly attack in June. 

Red baubles adorned trees, shopkeepers hung decorations and vendors sold warm chestnuts in church districts.

In stark contrast to the messages of peace from religious leaders, US President Donald Trump issued a Christmas message wishing a Merry Christmas ‘to everyone, including the radical left-wing scum’, referring to Democrats.

Severe weather also cast a shadow over the holiday season, with authorities in California declaring a state of emergency in Los Angeles amid fears of dangerous flooding and ordering evacuations.

In Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese struck a sombre note following a deadly attack during a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach earlier this month.

‘After the terror inflicted on Jewish Australia celebrating Hanukkah and Bondi Beach, we feel the weight of sorrow in our hearts.’