Dhaka, Dec. 25 -- In his first Christmas Day homily, Pope Leo XIV highlighted the suffering of Gaza's residents, exposed for weeks to harsh weather, and stressed that global conflicts can only be resolved through dialogue.

Celebrating Mass at St. Peter's Basilica, adorned with floral garlands and red poinsettias, the pope reflected on Jesus' birth in a Bethlehem manger, describing God's word as "a fragile tent among us." He drew parallels to the tents of Gaza, the plight of refugees worldwide, and the struggles of the homeless.

Leo also noted the vulnerability of populations affected by war and the youth forced into combat, criticizing the falsehoods and pomp in speeches of those sending them to the front lines. "Peace will come when ou...