Pope Leo XIV opens 2026 urging world to reject violence in powerful New Year's Day message

Pope Leo XIV opened the caller twelvemonth Thursday with an entreaty to the satellite for bid and urging radical everyplace to statesman 2026 by rejecting unit and committing themselves to reconciliation.

Speaking during his archetypal Angelus code of 2026, the pope invited the faithful to "build a twelvemonth of peace, by disarming our hearts and refraining from each signifier of violence."

Around 40,000 gathered successful St. Peter’s Square successful Rome to perceive the pope’s New Year's Day connection connected the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, which besides coincides with the World Day of Peace.

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Pope Leo XIV delivered a bid connection to 40,000 gathered successful St. Peter's Square connected Thursday. (Alberto Pizzoli / AFP via Getty Images))

At the commencement of his address, Pope Leo extended his wishes for bid and each bully successful the caller twelvemonth and offered a peculiar greeting to the president of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella.

Following the Angelus prayer, the pope said that Jan. 1 has been marked arsenic the World Day of Peace since 1968, astatine the inaugural of Pope St. Paul VI.

Reflecting connected the meaning of the day, Pope Leo referred to the words that came to him aft his predetermination arsenic bishop of Rome: "Peace beryllium with you all."

"This peace," the pope said, "is unarmed and disarming. It comes from God; it is simply a acquisition of his unconditional love, and it is entrusted to our responsibility."

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The pontiff spoke during his archetypal Angelus of 2026 connected the World Day of Peace. (Alberto Pizzoli / AFP via Getty Images)

He besides emphasized that bid is not thing imposed by force, but a acquisition that needs idiosyncratic conversion and choices successful regular life.

Calling connected Christians and each radical of goodwill, Pope Leo urged them to statesman immediately.

 "With Christ’s grace," helium said, "let america commencement contiguous to physique a twelvemonth of peace, disarming our hearts and refraining from each violence."

The pope acknowledged that efforts to physique bid are already underway crossed the satellite and expressed appreciation for individuals and organizations dedicated to ending struggle and promoting dialogue.

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Pope Leo XIV delivers World Day of Peace connection calling for planetary reconciliation successful 2026. (Alberto Pizzoli / AFP via Getty Images)

In enactment with the peacekeeping theme, helium highlighted a nationalist bid march held Dec. 31 successful Catania, Italy, and mentioned different organized by members of the Community of Sant’Egidio, known for its planetary bid initiatives.

Pope Leo besides welcomed students and teachers from Richland, New Jersey, who were successful the quadrate watching.

At the extremity of the address, the pope spoke astir the 800th day of the decease of St. Francis of Assisi, a fig besides intimately associated with peace.

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He closed with the saint’s biblical blessing: "The Lord bless you and support you; the Lord marque his look radiance upon you and beryllium gracious to you; the Lord assistance his countenance upon you and springiness you peace."

Pope Leo ended by entrusting the caller twelvemonth to Mary, the Mother of God, asking that she usher humanity connected its travel successful the caller year.