Urbi et Orbi: Pope Francis Bestows Christmas Blessing and Calls for Peace

After the Pope had opened the Holy Door at St. Peter's Basilica on Tuesday evening, thus ringing in the Holy Year 2025, Francis read his traditional Christmas message on Wednesday. From the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, the head of about 1.4 billion Catholics gave the blessing Urbi et Orbi (to the city of Rome and the entire world). In his speech, the Pontiff condemned the wars and conflicts in the world and reminded of the suffering of people.

Pope Francis Condemns Wars Around the World

The Pope called for peace efforts in Ukraine. "Let the weapons be silent in the tormented Ukraine! Have the courage to open the door for negotiations as well as for gestures of dialogue and encounter, in order to reach a just and lasting peace," the Pope emphasized.

Francis also urged a ceasefire in the Middle East. "Let there be a ceasefire, let the hostages be released and the population worn down by hunger and war be provided for," said Francis. He also expressed his closeness to the Christian community in Lebanon, especially in the south. "Let the doors of dialogue and peace open in the whole region torn apart by conflicts. And at this point, I would also like to think of the Libyan people and encourage them to seek solutions that enable national reconciliation," said the Pope.

Francis also expressed his concern about the many crisis spots in Africa. He showed concern about the measles epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the devastating effects of climate change, which lead to the loss of human lives and the flight of millions of people.

Christmas Message and Blessing Urbi et Orbi Highlights of the Christian Christmas Celebration

The Christmas message and the blessing Urbi et Orbi are highlights of the Christian Christmas celebration. With a procession to the Holy Door in St. Peter's Basilica, Francis had begun the Christmas celebrations on Tuesday evening. In a solemn ceremony on Christmas Eve, the 88-year-old Pontiff, who was in a wheelchair, opened the Holy Door, which is bricked up from the inside outside of Holy Years, and walked through it. The bronze door is only opened on the occasion of Holy Years. The right-wing Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also took part in the ceremony. 30,000 pilgrims followed the midnight mass on screens in St. Peter's Square.

The Italian Ministry of the Interior tightened anti-terror controls in Rome and around the Vatican following the attack in Magdeburg last Friday. The police are increasingly relying on sniffer dogs and video systems to ensure the smooth running of the celebrations. Thousands of Carabinieri, police officers and soldiers were deployed in Rome to control the subway stations, train stations and airports.

(APA/Red)

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