In his Message for the LIX World Day of Peace, on 1 January 2026, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV opens with the greeting, “Peace be with you!”, recalling the words of the risen Christ on Easter evening.
This greeting, he writes, is not a mere wish but a transformative word that brings lasting change to those who receive it and, through them, to the world. (The World Day of Peace is an annual observance of the Catholic Church, established by Pope Paul VI in 1967. It is celebrated every year on 1 January).
“From the very evening of my election as Bishop of Rome, I have wanted to join my own greeting to this universal proclamation. And I would like to reiterate that this is the peace of the risen Christ – a peace that is unarmed and disarming, humble and persevering. It comes from God who loves us all unconditionally,” said the Holy Father.
Reflecting on Christ as the Good Shepherd who laid down his life for all, the Pope describes Jesus as “our peace,” who has conquered death and broken down the walls that divide humanity.
This victory, he notes, continues to shine through the perseverance of countless witnesses, even amid the darkness of today’s world. The contrast between light and darkness is not merely symbolic but deeply experiential, shaping the trials of our historical moment and calling believers to recognize, trust and live by the light of peace.
Peace, the Pope explains, is not fragile weakness but a quiet and enduring force that resists violence and expands human understanding. While humanity rightly cries “Enough” to evil, peace invites a different response — a whispered but resolute “Forever.” Even amid what Pope Francis once described as “a third world war fought piecemeal,” peacemakers continue to stand watch, resisting despair and guarding the light against the encroaching darkness.
Yet the Pope warns that societies can forget this light, mistaking hopelessness and fear for realism. Narratives devoid of hope are often labeled “realistic,” while they remain blind to beauty, grace and the quiet work of God in wounded hearts.
Citing Saint Augustine, he recalls the call to nurture peace within oneself in order to radiate it outward: “If you wish to draw others to peace, first have it yourselves… To inflame others, you must have the flame burning within.”
Addressing believers and non-believers alike, Pope Leo XIV urges openness to peace as both a presence and a journey. Even when threatened, peace must be protected and remembered through the lives of those who have borne witness to it.
Just as the risen Christ entered the locked room of fearful disciples, peace continues to pass through barriers today, enabling people to recognize goodness, choose it again, and walk together in hope.
Turning to what he calls “an unarmed peace,” the Pope recalls Jesus’ words before his arrest: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives.”
Christ’s refusal of violence, symbolized by his command to Peter to sheath the sword, remains unsettling even today. Christians, the Pope says, must bear prophetic witness to this nonviolent path, acknowledging past complicity in violence and choosing mercy, as taught in the parable of the Last Judgment.
The Pope confronted the paradox of modern society, where peace feels close at hand yet unreachable due to fear and powerlessness. When peace is treated as an abstract ideal rather than a lived reality, war and aggression become normalized — even justified.
He criticized the dominance of confrontational logic in global politics, the rising reliance on military deterrence, and the deepening culture of fear described by Saint John XXIII, who warned of humanity living under the constant threat of catastrophic violence.
Citing alarming data, Pope Leo XIV noted that global military expenditure rose by 9.4 percent in 2024, reaching $2.718 trillion, alongside educational and media narratives that normalize armed defense.
He echoed the Second Vatican Council’s grave warnings about modern warfare and expresses deep concern over the military use of artificial intelligence, which risks delegating life-and-death decisions to machines and undermining the foundations of human dignity and responsibility.
The message then shifts to the call for “a disarming peace,” rooted in goodness, humility and vulnerability, embodied in the Incarnation itself. The Pope recalls the angels’ song of “Peace on earth” at the birth of a defenseless child and points to Saint Francis of Assisi as a model of inner disarmament.
True peace, he insists, requires the renewal of hearts and minds, as articulated by John XXIII in Pacem in Terris, where peace is founded not on armaments but on mutual trust.
Finally, Pope Leo XIV stressed the responsibility of religions and political leaders alike. Faith must never be weaponized to justify nationalism or violence, and believers must actively refute such distortions through prayer, dialogue and witness.
At the same time, political leaders must recommit to diplomacy, international law and trust-building among nations. As the Jubilee of Hope inspires inner disarmament, the Pope concludes with the prophetic vision of Isaiah: “They shall beat their swords into plowshares… O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord.”
