From the Central Loggia of the Vatican Basilica, Pope Francis addressed the traditional Christmas Message to the faithful present in St. Peter's Square and to those listening to him, before then imparting the “Urbi et Orbi” Blessing. The pontiff called for an end to conflicts and the overcoming of divisions, with the invitation to negotiate to “arrive at a just and lasting peace” for Ukraine.
Reconciliation
The Jubilee must be the propitious time to reconcile with one's enemies and stop wars. The Pope said this in the Urbi et Orbi Message. “Brothers and sisters, do not be afraid! The Door is open, the door is wide open! It is not necessary to knock”, come, let us be reconciled with God, and then we will be reconciled with ourselves and we will be able to reconcile with each other, even with our enemies. The mercy of God – underlined Pope Francis – can do everything, it unties every knot, it breaks down every wall of division, the mercy of God dissolves hatred and the spirit of revenge. Come, Jesus is the Door of Peace“. “Entering the Door – continued the Pontiff – requires the sacrifice of taking a step”, “it requires leaving disputes and divisions behind, to abandon oneself 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 overcome divisions“, the Pope's appeal.
Negotiation for Ukraine
“Silence the weapons in the tormented Ukraine! Let us have the audacity to open the door to negotiation and gestures of dialogue and meetingto arrive at one just and lasting peace“. The Pope said this in the Urbi et Orbi Message.
Ceasefire in the Middle East
The Pope asks for peace for the Holy Land: “Let the guns be silent in the Middle East! With his eyes fixed on the cradle of BethlehemI turn my thoughts to the Christian communities in Israel and Palestine, in particular to dear community in Gazawhere the humanitarian situation is very serious. Let the fire cease, the hostages be freed and the population exhausted by hunger and war be helped“, he said in the Urbi et Orbi Message. “I am also close to the Christian community in Lebanonespecially in the south, and that in Syriain this delicate moment. 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 Francis said again in the Urbi et Orbi Message.
Break down the walls
“May the Jubilee be an opportunity to break down all walls of separation: the ideological ones, which often mark political life, and also the physical ones”. This is the appeal launched by Pope Francis in the Urbi et Orbi Message. Our thoughts go in particular to that “division which has affected theisland of Cyprus and which has torn the 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.”
Africa in crisis
The Pope, in the Urbi et Orbi Message, addressed a thought to the African continent, caught between health emergencies and conflicts. “May the birth of the Savior bring a time of hope to the families of thousands of children who are dying from a measles epidemic in Democratic Republic of the Congoas well as to the populations of the East of that country and those of the Burkina Fasoof the Maliof the Niger and of Mozambique“, said Pope Francis. “The humanitarian crisis that affects them is mainly caused by armed conflicts and the scourge of terrorism and is aggravated by the devastating effects of climate change – underlined the Pontiff -, which cause the loss of human lives and displacement of millions of people. I am also thinking of the populations of the countries of Horn of Africa for which I implore the gifts of peace, harmony and brotherhood”. Francis once again invokes “the international community's commitment to promotingaccess to humanitarian aid for the civilian population of Sudan and in starting new negotiations with a view to a ceasefire”.
People who suffer
Pope Francis then returns to shine the spotlight on a conflict forgotten by the West, that of Myanmar. “May the announcement of Christmas bring comfort to the inhabitants of Myanmar, who, due to the continuous armed clashes, suffer serious suffering and are forced to flee their homes”. In his examination of the suffering of the many peoples of the planet, the Pope also speaks of the American continent and asks that “effective solutions be found as soon as possible in truth and justice, to promote social harmony, in particular Haitiin Venezuela, Colombia e Nicaraguaand let us work, especially in this Jubilee Year, to build the common good and rediscover the dignity of every person, overcoming political divisions”.
Source Ansa
