XIV

Jan. 9 (UPI) — Pope Leo XIV warned that “war is back in vogue” in his State of the World address Friday to ambassadors who are accredited to the Holy See.

The annual meeting is one of the most significant events in the Vatican’s yearly calendar and helps to define its diplomatic positions for the year, according to Vatican News.

The pope took the moment to reference the United States’ recent capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

“The principle established after the Second World War, which prohibited nations from using force to violate the borders of others, has been completely undermined,” he said.

“I renew my appeal to respect the will of the Venezuelan people, and to safeguard the human and civil rights of all, ensuring the stability and concord,” the pope added.

He called for an “immediate cease-fire” in Ukraine and expressed his support for a two-state solution to bring peace to the Middle East, while giving Palestinians a “future of lasting peace and justice in their own land.”

Pope Leo lamented what he called a decline in multilateralism and global cooperation, leading to peace instead of armed conflict.

“They do not, therefore, wish to have peace, but only the peace that they desire,” he said.

He said such a global mentality led to two world wars during the 20th century, but eventually produced the United Nations, which the pope said is tasked with “safeguarding peace, defending fundamental human rights and promoting sustainable development.”

Among other topics mentioned were a rising risk of nuclear war and the emergence of artificial intelligence.

He urged a renewed effort to control the proliferation of nuclear arms as the New START Treaty is scheduled to expire in February amid efforts by North Korea and Iran to join the ranks of nuclear powers and Russia’s repeated threats to use nuclear arms against Ukraine and others if compelled to do so.

Meanwhile, the emergence of AI “requires appropriate and ethical management” to ensure it is used to better the world and its societies and does not cause harm, Pope Leo said.

He also addressed matters involving migration, human trafficking and crime and cautioned against “undermining the dignity of migrants and refugees.”

Then he addressed the need for greater communication to help people of differing backgrounds to more effectively communicate and establish meaningful connections, rather than remaining divided by language and using it to cause harm instead of doing good in the world.

Dec. 24 (UPI) — Pope Leo XIV brought back the Christmas Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City on Wednesday night, which is the first held there since 1994.

About 11,000 attended the mass, inside and out, despite rainy conditions, the Catholic News Agency reported.

Regarding the birth of Jesus, Pope Leo described it as, “God gives us nothing less than his very self, in order to ‘redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own.'”

To find the savior, he said, “We must look below to find God among us in the manger.”

A baby’s need for care “becomes divine since the son of the father shares in history with all his brothers and sisters,” he continued.

“The omnipotence of God shines forth in the powerlessness of a newborn; the eloquence of the eternal word resounds in an infant’s first cry; the holiness of the Spirit gleams in that small body, freshly washed and wrapped in swaddling clothes.”

Pope Leo also discussed the “infinite dignity of every person” and contrasted that with a world in which humanity often tries become god-like while dominating others, according to Vatican News.

“In the heart of Christ beats the bond of love that unites heaven and Earth, creator and creatures,” the Pope said, adding that the key to changing history is to recognize such realities.

“As long as the night of error obscures this providential truth, then ‘there is no room for others either, for children, for the poor, for the stranger,'” he added, quoting Pope Benedict XIV’s homily at Christmas Mass on Dec. 24, 2012.

“These words of Pope Benedict XVI remain a timely reminder that on Earth, there is no room for God if there is no room for the human person,” the pontiff said.

The pope afterward greeted those standing in the rain in St. Peter’s Square and told them that, while St. Peter’s Basilica is large, it is not large enough to hold all of them.

He thanked those who attended the mass while outside, wished them a merry Christmas and gave them his blessings.

About 6,000 attended the mass that started at 10 p.m. local time in the basilica, while another 5,000 watched on large video screens placed outside in St. Peter’s Square.