Thu Dec 25 11:41:30 UTC 2025: Here’s a news article summarizing the provided text:
Pope Leo XIV Uses Christmas Address to Highlight Plight of Palestinians in Gaza
VATICAN CITY – In an unusually direct and politically charged Urbi et Orbi address delivered from St. Peter’s Basilica on Christmas Day, Pope Leo XIV decried the conditions faced by Palestinians in Gaza. Breaking from the more reserved style he has exhibited since assuming the papacy in May, Leo, the first U.S. pope, drew a parallel between the humble birth of Jesus and the current suffering of those living in makeshift shelters in Gaza.
“How, then, can we not think of the tents in Gaza, exposed for weeks to rain, wind and cold?” he questioned, addressing thousands gathered in the Basilica and millions watching worldwide.
Leo, who succeeded the late Pope Francis, has previously expressed concern over the situation in Gaza, advocating for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Despite a ceasefire agreed upon in October following intense conflict, humanitarian organizations report insufficient aid is reaching Gaza, leaving the majority of the population homeless.
Beyond Gaza, Pope Leo also lamented the global plight of the homeless and the devastation caused by ongoing wars. He specifically addressed the young people forced to fight in these conflicts, condemning the “senselessness” they face and the “falsehoods” used by those who send them to their deaths. His address served as a powerful call for peace and a reminder of the shared humanity often lost amidst global conflict.
First Piper 