Pope Francis urged diplomats accredited to the Vatican to embrace a “diplomacy of hope” ahead of the 2025 Jubilee Year, calling for efforts to heal societal divisions and promote peace globally.
The pope decried the increasing polarization in many nations, linking it to incidents such as the 2022 assassination attempt on former U.S. president and now President-elect Donald Trump.
“We see increasingly polarized societies marked by a general sense of fear and distrust of others and of the future, which is aggravated by the continuous creation and spread of ‘fake news,’ which not only distorts facts but also perceptions,” the pope said.
“This phenomenon generates false images of reality, a climate of suspicion that foments hate, undermines people’s sense of security, and compromises civil coexistence and the stability of entire nations. Tragic examples of this are the attacks on the chairman of the government of the Slovak Republic and the president-elect of the United States of America,” he continued.’
Though unable to read his address due to a cold, the 88-year-old pontiff asked an aide to deliver his prepared remarks at the Vatican’s Hall of Blessings on January 9, where he met with ambassadors for his annual “state of the world” address.
Pope Francis described diplomacy as a “vocation” and urged leaders to work toward the common good, emphasizing the need for dialogue and collaboration. His message, rooted in biblical teachings, focused on justice, peace, and freedom.
“Christ came ‘to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor’,” Pope Francis said, referencing Isaiah 61:1-2.
“Only in this way is it possible to break the chains of hatred and vengeance that bind and to defuse the explosive power of human selfishness, pride, and arrogance, which are the root of every destructive determination to wage war,” the pope told diplomats.
The pope’s call for peace extended to conflict zones, with a special emphasis on Ukraine and the Holy Land. He called for the international community to help end the ongoing war in Ukraine, which has caused widespread destruction and loss of life.
“My wish for the year 2025 is that the entire international community will work above all to end the conflict that, for almost three years now, has caused so much bloodshed in war-torn Ukraine and has taken an enormous toll of lives, including those of many civilians,” he said.
Regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Pope Francis renewed his call for a ceasefire and the release of all hostages. He also prayed that Jerusalem may become a “city of encounter” for people of all faiths and expressed hope for a peaceful two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians.
On economic issues, the pope appealed to wealthier nations to forgive the debts of impoverished countries, calling it an act of justice, not just generosity. He criticized the burden of debt imposed on Global South nations by wealthier states and corporations.
While acknowledging the benefits of technology and artificial intelligence, Pope Francis warned that these tools can be misused to manipulate minds and deepen societal divisions. “Its limitations and dangers cannot be overlooked, since it often contributes to polarization, a narrowing of intellectual perspectives, a simplification of reality, misuse, anxiety, and, ironically, isolation,” he said, stressing the need to remain vigilant against their potential harms.
The pope also spoke out against consumerism, which he said undermines the values of relationships, education, and social cohesion. He reiterated the importance of caring for society’s most vulnerable, emphasizing that every human life, from conception to natural death, deserves protection and dignity.
“No child is a mistake or guilty of existing, just as no elderly or sick person may be deprived of hope and discarded,” he stressed.