Pope Leo’s vision of ‘disarming peace’ [News Analysis]

December 18, 2025

“Peace exists; it wants to dwell within us,” Pope Leo XIV writes in his message for the 59th annual World Day of Peace.

The World Day of Peace is celebrated on January 1, when the Pontiff formally delivers his message to the members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See. But the text of the papal message is traditionally released in advance. The first such message by Pope Leo, entitled “Peace be with you all: Towards an ‘unarmed and disarming’ peace,” was made public on December 18.

Pope Leo opens his message by reflecting on the words of the Risen Jesus: “Peace be with you.” He writes: “From the very evening of my election as Bishop of Rome, I have wanted to join my own greeting to this universal proclamation.” He says that the peace of which he is speaking “is the peace of the risen Christ—a peace that is unarmed and disarming, humble and persevering.”

This peace, the Pontiff continues, “has the general power to enlighten and expand our understanding; it resists and overcomes violence.” His 2800-word message expands on that fundamental theme.

False ‘realism’

The peace that Christ offers is not an unattainable goal, the Pope insists. In fact, he argues: “When we treat peace as a distant ideal, we cease to be scandalized when it is denied.”

At the same time the papal message does not deny the difficulty of attaining peace. The Pope points out that the Lord’s own disciples were slow to understand His willingness to accept His own suffering and death, and “the Gospels do not hide the fact that what troubled the disciples was his nonviolent response: a path that they all, Peter first among them, contested.” Yet the Prince of Peace, through His silent suffering, shows the path to victory over violence. “The peace of the risen Jesus is unarmed, because his was an unarmed struggle in the midst of concrete historical, political and social circumstances.”

Pope Leo contrasts the peace of Jesus Christ with the calculations of worldly rulers, who see political conflicts only in material terms, and propose solutions that fail to address fundamental problems, thereby paving the way for further conflicts. He observes: “Many today call ‘realistic’ those narratives devoid of hope, blind to the beauty of others and forgetful of God’s grace.”

The deadly logic of confrontation

Anyone who reads the work of Pope Leo regularly knows that the Pope, a member of the Augustinian order, frequently cites the words of St. Augustine. His references to the great Bishop of Hippo in his document are particularly noteworthy, since St. Augustine is generally acknowledged as the founder of the school of thought known as just-war theory. But Pope Leo draws attention to another aspect of St. Augustine’s thought, quoting the saint’s remarkable words: “But to have peace, it is there, within reach, and we can possess it without effort.”

In that context, insisting that world leaders should seek first to build bonds of peace, Pope Leo laments that “a confrontational logic now dominates global politics, deepening instability and unpredictability day by day.” He decries the notion that a military buildup is the best response to external threats, and contends:

The idea of the deterrent power of military might, especially nuclear deterrence, is based on the irrationality of relations between nations, built not on law, justice and trust, but on fear and domination by force.

Military expenditures also divert needed resources from more productive uses, the Pope writes. He voices concern that the world has not profited from the “Hard-won awareness of the 20th century and the millions of victims” of costly worldwide conflicts.

Looking forward, the Pontiff sees even greater danger in the prospect of war waged with the use of artificial intelligence:

There is even a growing tendency among political and military leaders to shirk responsibility, as decisions about life and death are increasingly “delegated” to machines. This marks an unprecedented and destructive betrayal of the legal and philosophical principles of humanism that underlie and safeguard every civilization.

Calling for help

Despite his strong criticism of current strategic thinking, Pope Leo emphasizes the need “Not to burn bridges or persist in reproach, but to prefer listening and, where possible, engaging in discussions with others.” Again quoting St. Augustine, he reminds us that “those who love peace also love the enemies of peace.” So the willingness to talk—even (perhaps especially) to perceived foes—is a key to the “disarming peace” that he extols.

The business of building a culture of peace is a shared responsibility, the Pope writes. He makes particular note of the duty of religious leaders to reject any bid to invoke religious faith as a pretext for violence. More generally he suggests that “every community become a ‘house of peace,’ where one learns to defuse hostility through dialogue.” He warns against the “growing tendency to weaponize even thoughts and words.” And he cautions against the promotion of a culture of fear, remarking (in a quote from his predecessor Pope Francis, “the best way to dominate and gain control over people is to spread despair and discouragement.”

Of course political leaders have a special responsibility, the Pontiff notes, observing that productive diplomacy must be based on “mutual trust, sincerity in negotiations and the faithful fulfillment of obligations.” But for everyone willing to work for peace, a crucial first step is to recognize one’s own limitations. Here, as he closes out his argument, Leo XIV quotes the words of Pope Leo XIII: “The consciousness of his own weakness urges the human person to call in aid from without.”

—PFL

 

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Further information:

• Message of the Holy Father Leo XIV for the 59th World Day of Peace