Pope Francis delivered his Christmas Day 'Urbi et Orbi' address, urging peace in a world ravaged by conflict and marking the start of the 2025 Holy Year. He pleaded for negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, and an end to global suffering.
Pope Francis delivered a plea for peace in a world torn by conflict in his 2024 Christmas Day 'Urbi et Orbi' ('To the City and the World') address. It came as Christmas marked the start of the 2025 Holy Year celebration that is expected to bring some 32 million Catholic faithful to Rome. 'I invite every individual, and all people of all nations ... to become pilgrims of hope, to silence the sounds of arms and overcome divisions,' the pontiff said, speaking from the balcony of St.
Peter's Basilica to a crowd of thousands of people in the square below. He urged negotiations between Ukraine and Russia to 'achieve a just and lasting peace' and end the war that has killed tens of thousands since Moscow's full-scale invasion more than two years ago. The conflict did not pause for the holiday, as Russia carried out what it called a 'massive strike' targeting energy facilities in Ukraine on Christmas Day.Pope Francis also renewed his call for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, calling the humanitarian crisis in Gaza 'extremely grave,' and urged the release of the remaining Israeli hostages held by Hamas. He encouraged people around the world 'to tear down all walls of separation,' and remembered children suffering from war and hunger, the elderly living in solitude, those fleeing their homelands, and those persecuted for their faith.Pilgrims lined up early Wednesday to walk through the great Holy Door at the entrance of St. Peter's Basilica for Christmas observances. On Christmas Eve, Pope Francis knocked on the door and was the first to enter through it, inaugurating the 2025 Jubilee that he dedicated to hope. Traversing the Holy Door is one way that the faithful can obtain indulgences, or forgiveness for sins during a Jubilee, a once-every-quarter-century tradition that dates from 1300. 'You feel so humble when you go through the door that once you go through is almost like a release, a release of emotions,'' said Blanca Martin, a pilgrim from San Diego. '...
Pope Francis Christmas Holy Year Peace Conflict
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