At the close of the Angelus prayer, Pope Leo XIV honored the upcoming Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, which begin next Friday. Extending his best wishes to the organizers and athletes, the Pope underscored how big athletic events send a powerful message of solidarity and hope, citing the historic tradition of the Olympic Truce as a concrete symbol of peace in a conflict-ridden world. The Pope also expressed concern over rising tensions between the United States and Cuba, supporting the Cuban bishops' call to avoid acts that might exacerbate the population's suffering. He encouraged political leaders to demonstrate the courage necessary to initiate dialogue and peace talks. In his greeting to the faithful in St. Peter's Square, Leo XIV expressed his prayers for the victims of a landslide in a mine in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo, which killed over 200 people, as well as for the populations affected by cyclones and floods in Mozambique, Portugal, and southern Italy. Finally, recognizing Italy's National Day of Civilian Victims of War and Conflict, the Pope emphasized that only peace can genuinely respect the memory of so many innocent victims, both past and present, putting an end to an injustice that continues to harm the most vulnerable.