The Pope commemorated “our Ukrainian brothers and sisters who are living this Christmas in the dark, in the cold or far from their homes – due to the destruction caused by ten months of war”. “The Lord enlighten the minds of those who have the power to silence the guns and put an immediate end to this senseless war,” Pope Francis said.
Francis addressed the thousands of faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square from the loggia. “The Lord make us ready to help those who are suffering with concrete gestures of solidarity,” the Pope said.
Call for dialogue in conflict regions
The 86-year-old also mentioned other regions, in other scenes of “this third world war”, such as Syria and the Holy Land. “Let us ask the Lord that there, in the land where he was born, dialogue and the search for mutual trust between Israelis and Palestinians will be resumed,” the pope said.
The pontiff asked for prayers for Lebanon to rise again with the support of the international community, and called for a lasting ceasefire in Yemen and reconciliation in Myanmar and Iran.
The Pope also expressed concern about the famine in many countries, while huge amounts of food are wasted and money spent on weapons every day. The war in Ukraine has further aggravated the situation, leaving entire populations at risk of starvation, particularly in Afghanistan and the Horn of Africa states, the Pope warned.
War ‘misuses food as a weapon’
“All wars cause hunger and weaponize food, preventing its distribution to an already suffering population. On this day let us learn from the Prince of Peace and let us all, especially those with political responsibility, work to ensure that food is only a means of peace. As we enjoy the joy of being gathered with loved ones, let us think of the families who have been hurt most by life and those who are struggling with unemployment and lack of basic necessities at this time of economic crisis.” like the pope.
He also recalled the “many refugees and displaced persons knocking on our doors in search of comfort, warmth and food”. “Let us not forget the marginalized, the lonely, the orphans and the elderly at risk of being singled out, the prisoners we look to only for their faults and not as human beings,” Francis declared.
The Christmas message and blessing “Urbi et orbi” are a highlight of the Christian Christmas celebration. After two years of the pandemic, the Christmas celebrations in the Vatican took place without restrictions. 7,000 believers attended Christmas mass with the Pope on Saturday evening. 3,000 pilgrims followed the mass on screens in St. Peter’s Square.
Call to move away from “consumer culture”
In the sermon at Mass, Pope Francis called for a move away from “consumer culture” and to rediscover the “meaning of Christmas”. Francis, who has suffered from knee pain for months, held the Mass while seated.
The pontiff called for abandoning the “warmth of worldliness” and advocated a merciful church at the service of the poor. He regrets that “people who lust for power and money exploit their relatives and brothers,” Francis said.
Catholic Christmas Mass
Pope Francis officially launched the Christmas celebrations in the Vatican on Christmas Eve with a festive service in St. Peter’s Basilica. For the first time after two years of the pandemic, with a limited number of participants to protect against infection, Christmas mass took place on Saturday with 7,000 believers. During his homily, the Pope prayed for children at war.
Jesus was born without luxury and comfort – but as a result “the true richness of life came to light”, namely interpersonal relationships, as Francis emphasized. “Of course, it is not easy to leave the pleasant warmth of worldliness to embrace the austere beauty of the Grotto of Bethlehem,” he preached. “But we should remember that there is no real Christmas without the poor. Christmas is also celebrated without them, but not the Christmas of Jesus.”
