Pope Francis’ Christmas message was a plea for reconciliation, peace and care for others.
Elisabetta Povoledo is a reporter based in Rome, covering Italy, the Vatican and the culture of the region.
As Christians around the world celebrated Christmas on Wednesday, Pope Francis called for peace, asking that cease-fires be put in place where wars rage, and that world leaders forgive the debts “that burden the poorest countries.”
Speaking to the thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City for his Christmas blessing and message, Francis returned to the topic of two military conflicts that have dominated his thoughts — and his public remarks — for many months.
In Ukraine, he called for “the boldness needed to open the door to negotiation and to gestures of dialogue and encounter, in order to achieve a just and lasting peace.”
And he urged that “the sound of arms be silenced in the Middle East.” His thoughts, he said, were with Christians in the Gaza Strip, “where the humanitarian situation is extremely grave” for all who live there. Francis urged the delivery of aid “to the people worn out by hunger and by war” in Gaza, as well as a cease-fire and the release of the hostages who have been held since the Hamas-led attack on Israel 14 months ago.
He made the remarks a day after the start of the Roman Catholic Church’s Holy Year, known as a Jubilee, which takes place every quarter century. On Tuesday evening, Francis opened the Holy Door in St. Peter’s Basilica so that the first pilgrims could go through. Millions more are expected to follow over the year.
We are having trouble retrieving the article content.
Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.
Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or for all of The Times.
Thank you for your patience while we verify access.
Want all of The Times? .
Source: www.nytimes.com