VATICAN CITY ¨C Pope Leo XIV on Thursday urged Russia and Ukraine to find the ¡°courage¡± to hold direct talks and spoke of the dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip in his first Christmas message.
The U.S. pope, who was elected by fellow cardinals in May after the death of his predecessor, Pope Francis, also condemned the ¡°senselessness¡± of war and the ¡°rubble and open wounds¡± it leaves behind.
Speaking to a crowd of some 26,000 people in St. Peter¡¯s Square, the pope called for ¡°solidarity with and acceptance of those in need¡± in Europe ¡ª a possible reference to growing anti-immigration sentiment on the continent.
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