The pontiff's appeal in the Urbi et Orbi message: “Let us have the audacity to open the door to negotiation”
December 25, 2024
After the opening of the Holy Door yesterday, December 24, today Pope Francis pronounced the Christmas message with the blessing “The city and the world” from the external loggia of St. Peter's Basilica. “Let the weapons be silent in the tormented Ukraine and in the Middle East”, was the pontiff's appeal. Tomorrow, December 26, at 9 am, the pontiff will go to Rebibbia prison, while at midday he will lead the Marian prayer of the Angelus.
Pope: “Let the weapons be silent, let us have the courage to open the door to negotiations”
“Let the weapons be silent in the tormented Ukraine! Yes, yes the audacity to open the door to negotiation and to gestures of dialogue and meeting, to achieve a just and lasting peace”. Pope Francis said this as he looked out from the central loggia of the Vatican Basilica, during the traditional Christmas message to the faithful present in St. Peter's Square, before imparting the Urbi et Orbi blessing.
“Often we stop only on the threshold; we don't have the courage to go beyond it, because it puts us into question. Entering the door requires the sacrifice of taking a step, of leaving disputes and divisions behind, to abandon yourself to the open arms of the child who is the prince of peace. At this Christmas, the beginning of the Jubilee year, I invite every person, every people and nation to have the courage to cross the door, to become pilgrims of hope, to silence the weapons and to overcome divisions!”.
Pope: “Let the fire cease and the hostages be freed”
“Let the weapons fall silent in the Middle East. With my eyes fixed on the cradle of Bethlehem, I turn my thoughts to the Christian communities in Israel and Palestine, in particular in Gaza, where the humanitarian situation is very serious. Cease the fire, the hostages are freed and the population is helped exhausted by hunger and war.” Pope Francis said this as he looked out from the central loggia of the Vatican Basilica, during the traditional Christmas message to the faithful present in St. Peter's Square, before imparting the 'Urbi et Orbi' blessing.
“I am also close to the Christian community in Lebanon, especially in the south, and to that in Syria, in this delicate moment – he said -. May the doors of dialogue and peace be opened throughout the region, torn by conflict. And I also want to remember the Libyan people here, encouraging them to seek solutions that allow national reconciliation.”
Pope: “The Jubilee is an opportunity to break down walls of social division”
“Let it be the Jubilee the opportunity to break down all the walls of separation: the ideological ones, which often mark political life, and the physical ones, such as the division that has affected the island of Cyprus for fifty years now and which has torn its human and social fabric. I hope that we can reach a shared solution, which puts an end to the division with full respect for the rights and dignity of all Cypriot communities.” Pope Francis said this as he looked out from the central loggia of the Vatican Basilica, during the traditional Christmas message to the faithful present in St. Peter's Square, before imparting the Urbi et Orbi blessing.
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