Themes of peace and human dignity have been central to Pope Leo as he marks his first year in office

When he was elected pope on May 8, 2025, , who took the name Leo XIV, with Christ’s words to his disciples: “Peace be with you.”

Peace has become a central theme of the pontificate of the first American pope. In recent months, opposing the war in the Middle East, Leo has said that the “.” He led a “” on April 11, 2026, in how the name of God has been used to justify war and death. He has also said that “” because true freedom can come only from patient dialogue.

Combined with his calls for peace is Leo’s equally outspoken emphasis on human dignity. In an age , the pope has urged Christians to make a “.” Technological advances, especially the rise of artificial intelligence, also endanger human dignity by threatening to override “,” he has cautioned.

In my view as a , the themes of peace and human dignity are crucial for understanding Leo’s first year as the of the Catholic Church.

Calls for peace

During his speech for the 59th World Day of Peace, on Jan. 1, 2026, Leo echoed remarks he made after his election by saying the world should look to Jesus Christ as “our peace.” He called for “,” contrasting peace built on military strength versus peace built on love.

In advocating for peace, Leo is echoing his predecessors. Presidents Shimon Peres of Israel and Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian National Authority to pray for peace in 2014. condemned “” when recalling Benedict XV’s condemnation of World War I nearly 100 years earlier. Pope also argued that war should be “” when he visited Coventry, England, which had been devastated during World War II.

Leo has specifically criticized war in Gaza by rejecting the “” and “” inflicted on Palestinians attacks on Israelis .

Although he is repeating condemnations of war made by other popes, Leo has been conflict with a U.S. president. In criticizing the U.S. and Israel’s war with Iran, the pope has condemned the and the .

In response, President Donald Trump has called the pope “.” For his part, Leo has said that he does not look at policy through “” as the U.S. president and his words should as a personal attack.

The Catholic Church does have a tradition of “,” which argues that war can be waged ethically. has stated that the pope is ignoring this tradition. After World War II, however, the Catholic Church has stated clearly and consistently, since modern warfare is so destructive.

Affirming human dignity

In response to ongoing violence between and within nations of the world, Leo has called for . His emphasis on human rights affirms the God-given dignity of all people, especially those whom society has cast aside.

Human dignity has been an important theme among the popes who have come before Leo. John Paul II spoke about the dignity of the unborn and the elderly in his 1995 encyclical . Benedict XVI emphasized how each and every human being has dignity because they are . Francis called attention to “” that ignores the poor.

Leo has reiterated all these themes in various contexts.

Overall, however, Leo is most clearly following the teachings of Francis on human dignity and applying them more specifically to ongoing international crises.

He has spoken about the challenges to human rights and dignity in conflicts in : Ukraine, Venezuela, the Great Lakes region of Africa, the Caribbean Sea and Myanmar. As a missionary, teacher and bishop for , Leo’s perspective is shaped by his understanding of issues facing the Global South and how they relate to larger political and economic dynamics.

During his yearlong papacy he has given sustained attention to the challenges faced by migrants and the poor. Following his trip to Africa in April 2026, he are “treated worse than … house pets or animals.” His focus on migration is also reflected in his appointment of – – as bishop of the diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, West Virginia.

In his Oct. 4, 2025, apostolic exhortation – “I Have Loved You” – Leo says that “.” Using the , Leo describes the Catholic Church’s mission to migrants as “.”

Dilexi Te’s main focus is the conditions facing the poor. In criticizing the pursuit of wealth at “all costs,” Leo argues for a cultural change that removes the social and economic aspects of poverty. In making this argument, Leo identifies Jesus as the “” who has a special love for those rejected by the world. The poor have dignity, the pope observes, precisely because they show society the face of Jesus.

The challenge of technology

An emerging concern for Leo is how advances in artificial intelligence also relate to peace and human dignity.

The pope has said that he is not against technological progress that aids human development. But, at the same time, he argues that society should be aware how human responsibility and true intimacy between people. For example, Leo has observed how social media algorithms create “” that prevent authentic dialogue.

For Leo, the struggle for peace and human dignity is not just a matter of war or economic systems. It is also shaped by the way people lead their everyday lives along with increasingly powerful technology.