December 25, World (LNW): Pope Leo has called on Christians to see the Christmas story as a clear moral challenge, reminding them that faith must be expressed through care for the poor, migrants and those pushed to the edges of society. Speaking on Christmas Eve, he said the circumstances surrounding the birth of Jesus carried a powerful message about human responsibility and compassion.
Preaching during a candlelit mass in St Peter’s Basilica, the Pope reflected on the Gospel account of Jesus being born in a stable after his family was turned away from an inn. He told worshippers that shutting out those in need was not merely a social failure but a spiritual one, warning that indifference towards others amounted to turning away from God. Around 6,000 people attended the service inside the basilica, while thousands more followed proceedings from St Peter’s Square despite heavy rain.
The Pope, who has made the defence of migrants and the disadvantaged central to his young papacy, said the Christmas message affirmed the dignity of every human being. Drawing on the words of his predecessors, he criticised an economic system that reduces people to commodities and ignores children, the poor and foreigners. He stressed that wherever human life is welcomed and respected, God is present, even in the most humble of places.
Now 70, Pope Leo is marking his first Christmas as pontiff since his election in May, becoming the first pope born in the United States. Before the mass began, he stepped outside to greet the crowds sheltering under umbrellas, thanking them for their perseverance and spirit. He is due to celebrate Christmas Day mass and later deliver his traditional Urbi et Orbi blessing, addressing the city of Rome and the wider world.
