January 1, 2026
Pope Leo XIV has chosen “Peace be with you all: Towards an ‘unarmed and disarming’ peace” as the World Day of Peace theme for the 2026 World Day of Peace, urging humanity to reject violence and embrace reconciliation rooted in love and justice. The Vatican explains that this vision calls for peace that is “unarmed”— not based on fear or weapons— and “disarming,” capable of resolving conflicts and fostering trust, empathy, and hope. A new book And Let There Be Peace! Words to the Church and the World, collects the Pope’s early speeches, highlighting his priorities of God’s primacy, Church communion, and peace. Inspired by the phrase coined by martyred monk Charles-Marie Christian de Chergé, the Pope emphasizes that peace begins personally— in how we see, listen to, and speak about others.
