Pope Leo

Pope Leo XIV on Thursday condemned the “debris and open wounds” left by wars, highlighting the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza as he delivered his first Christmas homily.

“Fragile is the flesh of defenseless populations, tested by so many wars, ongoing or concluded, that leave behind rubble and open wounds,” the Pope said at Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica.

“How… can we not think of the tents in Gaza, exposed for weeks to rain, wind and cold,” he said.

In Bethlehem, the Christian community celebrated its first festive Christmas in more than two years as the occupied West Bank city emerged from the shadow of the war in gaza.

Heavy rains have hit Gaza in recent days, aggravating the harsh conditions of the Palestinian territory’s residents, almost all of whom were displaced during the war. The UN has said that approximately 1.3 million people currently need shelter assistance in Gaza and has warned of the increasing risk of hypothermia as temperatures drop.

Leo met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the Vatican last month. According to a Vatican statement, both leaders agreed on “the urgent need to provide assistance to the civilian population in Gaza” and to “end the conflict by seeking a two-state solution,” which would entail the creation of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel.

On a Christmas blessing Thursday, Leo also urged Russia and Ukraine to find the “courage” for direct talks after weeks of intense international diplomacy to end their nearly four-year war.

“May the parties involved, with the support and commitment of the international community, find the courage to engage in sincere, direct and respectful dialogue,” Leo said.

In recent weeks, Russian and Ukrainian officials have spoken separately with US negotiators about proposals to end the conflict sparked by Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Speaking to a crowd of about 26,000 people in St. Peter’s Square, the pope also called for “solidarity and acceptance of those in need” in Europe, a possible reference to growing anti-immigration sentiment on the continent.

Pope Leo XIV, before Cardinal Robert Prevost, He was born in Chicago and became the first American pontiff in the history of the Church when he was chosen by his fellow cardinals at a Vatican conclave in May.