Theme revealed for papal World Day of Peace message (Vatican News)

The Vatican has disclosed the theme for the message that Pope Leo XIV will issue for the World Day of Peace on January 1, 2026. The theme is: “Peace be with you all: Toward an ‘unarmed and disarming’ peace.”

The Dicastery for Integral Human Development, which announced the theme, said that the papal message “is an invitation addressed to everyone—believers, non-believers, political leaders and citizens—to build the Kingdom of God and to work together to build a humane and peaceful future.”

In a related development, the Vatican publishing house (LEV) has announced release of a collection of the public addresses by Pope Leo since his election. The book—which will be available in English, Italian, and Spanish—is entitled: And Let There Be Beace!.

While the World Day of Peace is observed on January 1, the theme of the papal message has routinely been announced a few months before that date, and the full text released well in advance of its formal promulgation.