Pope Leo XIV Opens 2026 With Call for Peace, Mercy, and a "Journey to Be Discovered"

Pope Leo XIV began the new year with a sweeping appeal for peace, mercy, and renewed hope, using his first Mass of 2026 to urge the world to reject violence and embrace a future shaped by compassion. Speaking to thousands gathered in St. Peter's Basilica on January 1 - a day that marks both the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, and the Catholic Church's World Day of Peace - the Pope framed the year ahead as "an open journey to be discovered," a path made possible by God's mercy and humanity's willingness to choose reconciliation over conflict.

The message, delivered during a homily and later expanded in his Angelus address, centered on a theme that has defined his young papacy: peace built not through power, but through understanding and forgiveness. "The world is not saved by threatening violence or by judging, oppressing, or eliminating others," he said. "Rather, it is saved by tirelessly striving to understand, forgive, liberate, and welcome everyone, without calculation and without fear".

Mary's Example and the "Unarmed" Face of God

Because New Year's Day in the Catholic tradition honors Mary, the Mother of God, Pope Leo used her example to illustrate the kind of peace he believes the world desperately needs. With Mary's cooperation, he said, God entered the world "naked and defenseless," taking the form of a vulnerable child to reveal that divine love does not rely on force.

In Mary's motherhood, he explained, "two unarmed realities come together": God, who sets aside divine privilege to become human, and a woman who freely embraces God's will. This pairing, he said, shows that peace begins with humility - a willingness to listen, to welcome, and to trust.

A Jubilee Year of Hope Nears Its Close

The Pope also reflected on the nearing conclusion of the 2025 Jubilee Year, a global Catholic celebration of renewal and forgiveness that officially ends on January 6. He echoed the words of Pope St. John Paul II, who said the Jubilee offers believers "the experience of forgiveness received and given," a reminder that God's love "renews the face of the earth".

In his Angelus remarks, Pope Leo said the Jubilee had taught the world how to "cultivate hope for a new world" by converting hearts - transforming wrongs into forgiveness and pain into consolation. This conversion, he said, allows God to dwell in human history, guiding people toward a future where every person is welcomed.

A Heart That Beats for All People

The Pope's New Year message also emphasized the universal reach of Christ's compassion. The heart of Jesus, he said, "beats for every man and woman" - for those who welcome him and for those who reject him; for the righteous who persevere and for the unrighteous who need to change their lives and find peace.

This theme resonated strongly on a day dedicated to global peace. Pope Leo urged the faithful to pray not only for nations torn by war, but also for families wounded by violence or division. Peace, he insisted, must begin at home.

A Call That Extends Beyond Rome

The Pope's message comes at a pivotal moment for the Church and the world. The past year saw the death of Pope Francis, the election of Pope Leo XIV - the first American pope - and a Jubilee that brought millions of pilgrims to Rome. As he closed out 2025, Pope Leo prayed that Rome would remain a welcoming city for "children, the lonely and fragile elderly, families who struggle, and those who come from afar seeking a dignified life".

His New Year's Day message extends that hope to the entire world: a plea for a year defined not by fear or division, but by mercy, hospitality, and the courage to begin again.

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