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.” The Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development released details of the theme on Tuesday, underscoring the Pope’s appeal for a peace built on love, justice, and mutual trust rather than fear and violence. The World Day of Peace is observed annually on January 1, coinciding with the liturgical Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God.
According to the Dicastery’s statement, the 2026 theme calls on humanity to reject war and violence and to embrace a peace that is both “unarmed” and “disarming.” “This peace must be unarmed, that is, not based on fear, threats or weapons,” the statement said. “And it must be disarming, capable of resolving conflicts, opening hearts and generating mutual trust, empathy and hope.” The message stressed that peace must be embodied in daily life, through actions that reject visible and systemic violence. It also highlighted the universality of the call, noting that Christ’s greeting of “Peace be with you” (Jn. 20:19) extends to all people—believers, non-believers, political leaders, and citizens alike.
Pope Leo XIV has repeatedly used the phrase “unarmed and disarming” since his election on May 8, 2025, to describe the type of peace he envisions for the world. Alongside the announcement, the Vatican Publishing House (LEV) presented a new book titled “And Let There Be Peace! Words to the Church and the World.” The volume collects the Pope’s first public addresses, many of which emphasise reconciliation aAnd peace. The expression “unarmed and disarming” was first used by French monk Charles-Marie Christian de Chergé, O.C.S.O., who was martyred in 1996 with six fellow monks in Algeria. Pope Leo’s election on May 8 coincided with the memorial of the Algerian martyrs.
According to the Vatican, the book highlights the Pope’s central priorities: “the primacy of God, the communion of the Church, and the search for peace.” It recalls his frequent reminder that peace begins at a personal level. “Peace begins with each one of us,” the Pope said. “In the way we look at others, listen to others, and speak about others.”
