Pope Leo XIV utilized the prayerful exclamation of St. Thomas the Apostle—"My Lord and my God!"

In his homily for the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, and the World Day of Peace on January 1, 2026, Pope Leo XIV utilized the prayerful exclamation of St. Thomas the Apostle—"My Lord and my God!"—to anchor a message of "unarmed and disarming" peace. Standing in St. Peter's Basilica, he urged the faithful to move beyond a "cold adherence" to doctrine and instead cultivate a personal, transformative encounter with the Christ Child. #catholic #god #christ #christian #christianity #jesus #religion