By Staff, January 1, 2026
“Peace be with you!” This, according to Pope Leo XIV, is the “Word that does not merely desire peace, but truly brings about a lasting transformation in those who receive it, and consequently in all of reality.”
This is the opening remarks of a stirring appeal for humanity to reject the “logic of war” issued back on December 8, 2025. The document warns that global reliance on military deterrence — particularly nuclear threats — is an irrational foundation for security built on fear rather than trust. The Pope invites the world to rediscover the “unarmed peace” of Christ, suggesting that true security stems from a “disarmament of the heart” and a commitment to dialogue that recognizes the inherent dignity of every person.
The message underscores the moral cost of modern militarization, citing a 9.4% rise in global military spending in 2024 as a diversion of resources from essential human development. Pope Leo also highlights the chilling prospect of war waged through artificial intelligence, calling the delegation of life-and-death decisions to machines a “destructive betrayal of humanism”. He reminds the faithful that peace is not a distant utopia but a lived choice, embodied by the “fragile face of the Child” in the manger, whose very vulnerability has the power to disarm the most hardened hearts.
This call for spiritual renewal comes as the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope draws to a close. On January 6, 2026, the Solemnity of the Epiphany, Pope Leo XIV will preside over the official closing of the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica. This final act of the Jubilee serves as a bridge from a year of hope to a future of active peacemaking, as the Pope invites pilgrims to carry the “disarming peace” of the Jubilee into their daily lives. The doors of the other major Roman basilicas — St. John Lateran, St. Mary Major, and St. Paul Outside the Walls —will be sealed in the days leading up to the January 6th ceremony.
We wish you a very happy New Year. Our hearts are deeply encouraged by your being with us on this journey toward peace. Here’s to many more messages of hope in the year to come!
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