Pope opens 2026 with plea for peace in countries bloodied by war, families wounded by violence

 Pope Leo XIV opened 2026 on Thursday with a plea for peace, singling out in particular countries “bloodied by conflict” and families wounded by violence.Leo celebrated a New Year’s Day Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica and then delivered a special noontime prayer from his studio overlooking the piazza, which was full of pilgrims and tourists on the bright, chilly day.Leo noted that Jan. 1 marks the church’s World Day of Peace and used the occasion to issue a prayer.“Let us all pray together for peace: first, among nations bloodied by conflict and suffering, but also within our homes…READ FULL ARTICLE