Pope Leo XIV has announced the theme for the 2026 World Day of Peace, “Peace be with you all: Towards an ‘unarmed and disarming’ peace,”
Newsroom (26/08/2025, Gaudium Press ) Pope Leo XIV has announced the theme for the 2026 World Day of Peace, “Peace be with you all: Towards an ‘unarmed and disarming’ peace,” emphasizing a global call to reject violence and foster reconciliation. The announcement, accompanied by the release of a new book compiling the pontiff’s early speeches, underscores his vision for a world rooted in love, justice, and mutual trust.
The Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development issued a statement Tuesday detailing the theme for the annual observance, held on January 1, coinciding with the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. The theme urges humanity to abandon the “logic of violence and war” and embrace a peace that is “unarmed and disarming.”
“This peace must be unarmed, not based on fear, threats, or weapons,” the Vatican’s press release stated. “It must be disarming, capable of resolving conflicts, opening hearts, and generating mutual trust, empathy, and hope.” The statement emphasized that peace requires active embodiment, rejecting both overt and systemic violence.
Pope Leo XIV, elected on May 8, 2025, has consistently advocated for peace, frequently using the phrase “unarmed and disarming” to describe his vision. The Dicastery highlighted the universal nature of this call, noting that the Risen Christ’s greeting, “Peace be with you” (Jn 20:19), extends to all—believers, non-believers, leaders, and citizens—urging collective action to build a humane and peaceful future.
New Book Highlights Pope’s Peace Advocacy
In a related development, the Vatican Publishing House (LEV) announced the release of And Let There Be Peace! Words to the Church and the World, a collection of Pope Leo XIV’s first public addresses. Available in English, Italian, and Spanish from August 27, the book emphasizes the pontiff’s recurring theme of peace.
The publication draws inspiration from the phrase “unarmed and disarming,” first coined by French Cistercian monk Charles-Marie Christian de Chergé, martyred in 1996 with six fellow monks at the Abbey of Our Lady of Atlas in Tibhirine, Algeria. Notably, Pope Leo’s election coincided with the liturgical memorial of the Martyrs of Algeria, a connection highlighted in the book’s press release.
The communique outlined the book’s focus on the Pope’s priorities: “the primacy of God, the communion of the Church, and the search for peace.” It quoted Pope Leo: “Peace begins with each one of us: in the way we look at others, listen to others, and speak about others.” His appeals for reconciliation target not only political spheres but also individual hearts, reinforcing his vision for a global culture of peace.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Vatican News
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