As violence continues to devastate communities in central Africa, Pope Leo XIV has renewed his appeal for prayer, peace, and reconciliation, urging the faithful to resist a culture that prizes visibility over truth and humility.
Speaking after praying the Angelus in St. Peter’s Square on Jan. 18, Pope Leo XIV drew attention to the worsening humanitarian crisis in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, where ongoing conflict has displaced countless families. According to EWTN News, the Holy Father said that “many have been forced to flee their country – especially to Burundi – due to violence, and they are facing a serious humanitarian crisis,” adding, “Let us pray that dialogue for reconciliation and peace may always prevail among the parties in conflict.”
The Pope also assured those suffering from severe flooding in southern Africa of his prayers, situating these crises within a broader call for solidarity rooted in Christian charity.
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The Angelus address coincided with the beginning of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which the Pope described as a vital moment for renewed spiritual commitment. According to EWTN News, Pope Leo invited Catholics everywhere “to deepen their prayers for the full, visible unity of all Christians,” noting that the initiative dates back two centuries and was strongly encouraged by Pope Leo XIII.
This year’s theme is drawn from St. Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians: “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling” (Eph 4:4). The Pope explained that the prayers and reflections for the week were prepared by an ecumenical group coordinated by the Armenian Apostolic Church’s Department of Interchurch Relations.
In his reflection on the day’s Gospel reading from John 1:29–34, Pope Leo turned to the witness of St. John the Baptist as a corrective to what he described as a modern “culture of appearances.” According to EWTN News, the Pope warned that “approval, consensus and visibility are often given excessive importance, to the point of shaping people’s ideas, behaviors and even their inner lives.” Such distortions, he said, “cause suffering and division, and give rise to lifestyles and relationships that are fragile, disappointing and imprisoning.”
Rather than pursuing what he called “substitutes for happiness,” the Pope reminded Christians that “our joy and greatness are not founded on passing illusions of success or fame, but on knowing ourselves to be loved and wanted by our heavenly Father.”
Emphasizing the humility of Christ, Pope Leo underscored that God’s love is revealed not through spectacle but through closeness and compassion. According to EWTN News, he said that Jesus comes among us “not to dazzle us with spectacular displays, but to share in our struggles and to take our burdens upon himself.”
The Pope concluded with a pastoral exhortation, encouraging Catholics to resist distractions and make space for prayer and silence. “Let us not waste our time and energies chasing after appearances,” he said, urging the faithful, whenever possible, to “withdraw into the desert” each day in order to encounter the Lord.
According to EWTN News, the Holy Father’s message united global concern for peace with a deeply personal call to conversion, reminding Catholics that true unity, joy, and strength flow from humility, prayer, and trust in God’s enduring love.
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