ROME — In his first Christmas sermon as pontiff on Thursday, Pope Leo XIV denounced the suffering of the people of Gaza and called for the guns to fall silent in Ukraine.

In an unusually direct appeal during what is normally a solemn, spiritual service on the day Christians across the globe celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the new pope urged Ukraine and Russia to find the "courage" to hold direct talks to end the war

The first American ⁠pope said the story of Jesus being born in a stable showed that God ​had “pitched his fragile tent” among the people of the world.

“How, then, ‍can we not think of the tents in Gaza, exposed for weeks to rain, wind and cold?” he asked.

Leo, celebrating his first Christmas after being elected in May by the ‍world’s cardinals to ⁠succeed the late Pope Francis, has a quieter, more diplomatic style than his predecessor and usually refrains from making political references in his sermons.

But the pope has lamented the conditions for Palestinians in Gaza several times recently and told journalists last month that the only solution in the decades-long conflict between Israel and Palestine must include a Palestinian state.

On Christmas Day, he offered the traditional “Urbi et Orbi” blessing (“To the City and to the World”) from the balcony of St Peter’s, surveying a world speckled with conflicts from Yemen to Myanmar, and calling for compassion towards those who have fled their homelands to seek a future in Europe and America.

The pontiff began by asking for “justice, peace and stability” for Lebanon, the Palestinian territories, Israel and Syria.

The pope’s first Christmas since his election took place in wet and cold conditions, but that failed to deter large crowds from coming out to hear his message.

Earlier during Mass, he asked how, at Christmas, “can we not think of the tents in Gaza, exposed for weeks to rain, wind and cold.” With more than 400,000 homes destroyed during Israel’s war against Hamas, Gazans are being forced to choose this winter between living in tents exposed to the elements or living inside buildings that could collapse any minute.

“Fragile is the flesh of defenseless populations, tried by so many wars, ongoing or concluded, leaving behind rubble and open wounds,” Leo said. He quoted an Israeli poet, Yehuda Amichai, who called for peace to blossom “like wildflowers.”

Later during his Christmas message, he called for compassion towards those “who are fleeing their homeland to seek a future elsewhere, like the many refugees and migrants who cross the Mediterranean or traverse the American continent.” He offered Christmas greetings in different languages including Italian, English, Arabic, Chinese, Polish.

Since his election, Leo has highlighted the plight of those suffering of those in Gaza, and has been outspoken by calling for the better treatment of migrants. In his first major interview in September, the pope voiced concern over “some things” happening in the country of his birth, highlighting the significance of a letter his predecessor had sent to US bishops earlier this year, rebuking the administration’s deportation plans.

Leo also used his Christmas blessing to pray for the “tormented people of Ukraine,” who have resisted Russia’s invasion for nearly four years. “May the clamor of weapons cease, and may the parties involved, with the support and commitment of the international community, find the courage to engage in sincere, direct and respectful dialogue,” Leo said.

Leo began the Christmas celebrations by presiding at a Christmas evening “Midnight Mass” in a packed St Peter’s Basilica, attended by dozens of cardinals, and at the beginning of the service children from South Korea, India, Mozambique, Paraguay, Poland and Ukraine carried flowers and accompanied Leo in procession to the nativity scene.

The Vatican said 6,000 people were in the Basilica, while 5,000 gathered outside in the square to follow the Mass on big screens, many of them holding up umbrellas to protect them from the rain. Leo thanked them for coming out in the bad weather saying, “I admire and respect and thank you for your courage and your willingness to be here this evening.”

The 70-year-old pope, who is the youngest pontiff since John Paul II was elected aged 58, is presiding at more Christmas services than his immediate predecessors, restoring the tradition of celebrating a Mass on Christmas Day, the first time since 1994.

Speaking about Ukraine, the Pope said: "May the clamour of weapons cease, and may the parties involved, with the support and commitment of the international community, find the courage to engage in sincere, direct and respectful dialogue."

His plea comes as US-led negotiations on a deal to end the fighting continues.

Pope Leo also decried turmoil and conflict plaguing other parts of the world, including Thailand and Cambodia where deadly border clashes have flared up despite a ceasefire in July.

He asked that the South East Asian nations' "ancient friendship" be restored and "to work towards reconciliation and peace".

During an earlier Christmas Day sermon in St Peter's Basilica, Pope Leo lamented conditions for homeless people the world over, and the damage caused by conflicts.

"Fragile is the flesh of defenceless populations, tried by so many wars, ongoing or concluded, leaving behind rubble and open wounds," said the pope. — Agencies