Pope Leo XIV has urged the people of the US, belonging to all faiths, to spend this Thanksgiving Day with gratitude.
While speaking with NBC's Molly Hunter on Wednesday, November 25, the first-ever American pope shared what he hopes people remember during the annual holiday.
"I would encourage all people, especially with this beautiful feast that we have in the United States, which unites all people, people of different faiths, people who perhaps do not have the gift of faith, but to say thank you to someone, to recognise that we all have received so many gifts, first and foremost, the gift of life," he said, while standing outside of his summer residence, Castel Gandolfo.
He added, "The gift of faith, the gift of unity to encourage all people to try and promote peace and harmony and to give thanks to God for them and the gifts we can give."
Pope Leo shared this message as he was leaving the lakeside residence, located outside of Rome.
During Thanksgiving, the Pope would be on his first foreign trip abroad as leader of the Catholic Church. He's heading to Türkiye and Lebanon to meet with different political and religious leaders overseas.
In May, Pope Leo XIV was selected to be the 267th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the first pope from the US.
