Pope urges world to lay down arms and ‘overcome divisions’ in Christmas message

In his traditional Christmas message on Wednesday, Pope Francis urged “all peoples of all nations” to find courage during this Holy Year to “silence the voices of arms and overcome the divisions” plaguing the world, from the Middle East to Ukraine, from Africa to Asia.

The Pope’s “Urbi et Orbi” (To the City and the World) speech is a summary of the woes facing the world this year. While Christmas coincided with the beginning of the celebration of the Holy Year 2025, which he dedicated to hope, Francis called for widespread reconciliation “even (with) our enemies.”

“I call on every individual and all people of all nations… to become pilgrims of hope, to silence the voices of weapons and to overcome divisions,” the pope said from the portico of St. Peter’s Basilica to crowds of people below.

The Pope recalled the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica, which he opened on Christmas Eve to mark the inauguration of the Jubilee of 2025, as representing God’s mercy that “unties every knot, demolishes every wall of division, and dissipates hatred and the spirit of love.” revenge.”

Watch | Pope Francis delivers “Urbi et Orbi” Christmas message:

He called for silencing the weapons in war-torn Ukraine and in the Middle East, singling out Christian communities in Israel and the Palestinian territories, “particularly in Gaza, where the humanitarian situation is very serious,” as well as in Lebanon and Syria “at the moment.” “This is the most sensitive time.”

Francis reiterated his calls for the hostages taken by Hamas to be released from Israel on October 7, 2023.

He pointed to the outbreak of deadly measles in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the suffering of the people of Myanmar, who were forced to flee their homes due to the “ongoing clash of arms.” The Pope also remembered children suffering from war and hunger, the elderly living in isolation, those fleeing their homelands, those who lost their jobs and people who were persecuted for their faith.

The jubilee was expected to attract millions to Rome

Pilgrims lined up on Christmas Day to walk through the Great Holy Door at the entrance to St Peter’s Basilica, where the jubilee is expected to bring some 32 million Catholic faithful to Rome.

Crossing the Holy Door is one way believers can receive absolution or forgiveness of sins during the Jubilee, a tradition that occurs once every quarter century and dates back to the year 1300.

The pilgrims were subjected to security supervision before entering the Holy Door, amid new security concerns following the bloody attack on the Christmas market in Germany.

Many stopped to touch the door as they passed and made the sign of the cross as they entered the cathedral dedicated to St. Peter, the founder of the Roman Catholic Church.

“You feel so humbling when you walk in the door, and once you walk in it’s like a release of emotions,” said Blanca Martin, a pilgrim from San Diego. “It’s almost like a release of emotions, you feel like now you’re able to let go of everything and put everything in your hands.” God, you see, I’m getting emotional. It’s just a beautiful experience.”