Archbishop hopes 2026 is a year of peace for Ukraine and the Middle East
Besides ushering in the new year, the Catholic Church celebrates January 1 as the World Day of Peace
Archbishop Charles Scicluna expressed his hope that 2026 will be a year of peace for Ukraine and the Middle East.
At Dar tal-Providenza's chapel in Siġġiewi, the Archbishop was speaking amid hopes of an end to the four-year war in Ukraine, and as a peace plan in Gaza tentatively holds.
“Let us also pray that this year will be a year in which the prayer we offer today on the Day of Peace makes sense and becomes a reality, not only in Ukraine, in the Holy Land, but in many other places around the world,” Scicluna said.
Besides ushering in the new year, the Catholic Church celebrates January 1 as the World Day of Peace.
In his New Year’s address, Pope Leo XIV made a similar plea for peace, singling out the countries "bloodied by conflict" and families wounded by violence.
On New Year’s Eve, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country was "10 percent" away from a deal to end the war with Russia, but cautioned that the most important issues were unresolved and warned against rewarding Moscow.
"The peace agreement is 90 percent ready. Ten percent remains. And that is far more than just numbers," Zelensky said in the address.
"Those are the 10 per cent that will determine the fate of peace, the fate of Ukraine and Europe," he added.
At the same time, the Gaza peace plan that came into effect last October has brought an end to much of the fighting in the Strip.
The next step is for Hamas to disarm at the same time as the Israeli army withdraws from Gaza. A technocratic government would then take over the devastated territory.
But critics have suggested Netanyahu could seek to delay the implementation of the plan and instead push for Hamas to disarm before Israeli troops withdraw.
During his homily, delivered on the same day that Dar tal-Providenza is collecting funds for its operations, Scicluna emphasised the importance of mercy.
“Show one another mercy, not anger, or vengeance, or jealousy, but mercy. The world needs mercy,” he said.
He said the rise of social media has made showing mercy harder.
“Sometimes, on social media, we know that feelings can become somewhat more negative. Let us look at one another with mercy and with love,” he said.