In his Christmas Day blessing, Pope Francis—invoking Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace—expressed the hope that leaders will bring an end to the war in Ukraine and in “the other theaters” amidst what he termed a “third World War.”
Speaking from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, the pope delivered the customary “Urbi et Orbi” (“to the city and the world,” which refers to the pope’s dual roles as bishop of Rome and head of the global Catholic Church) blessing, which —for obvious reasons—this year was dominated by the scourge of war.
“If we want it to be Christmas, the Birth of Jesus and of peace, let us look to Bethlehem and contemplate the face of the Child who is born for us. And in that small and innocent face, let us see the faces of all those children who, everywhere in the world, long for peace,” the pontiff said.
Making this call more specific, Francis referenced the war still raging in Europe’s east. “Let us also see the faces of our Ukrainian brothers and sisters who are experiencing this Christmas in the dark and cold, far from their homes due to the devastation caused by ten months of war. May the Lord inspire us to offer concrete gestures of solidarity to assist all those who are suffering, and may he enlighten the minds of those who have the power to silence the thunder of weapons and put an immediate end to this senseless war!” he exclaimed.
Humanity, the pope continued, is experiencing what he termed a “grave famine of peace.” After noting that the war in Ukraine (a major exporter of grain and other foodstuffs) had far-reaching consequences, as it put “entire peoples at risk of famine, especially in Afghanistan and in the countries of the Horn of Africa,” he drew attention to other conflicts. The one in Syria, he observed, while having “receded into the background,” had “not ended.” He invited all to equally contemplate the state of affairs in the Holy Land as well, since there, in recent months, “violence and confrontations have increased, bringing death and injury in their wake. Let us beseech the Lord that there, in the land that witnessed his birth, dialogue and efforts to build mutual trust between Palestinians and Israelis may resume.”
The pope also called upon the Christ Child to “sustain the Christian communities living in the Middle East, so that each of those countries can experience the beauty of fraternal coexistence between individuals of different faiths.” He prayed for the Christ Child to help the plight of Lebanon, much affected by a severe economic crisis, “in particular, so that it can finally rebound with the help of the international community and with the strength born of fraternity and solidarity.”
Continuing his message, the pope wished that the light of Christ would “illumine the region of the Sahel, where peaceful coexistence between peoples and traditions is disrupted by conflict and acts of violence.” He prayed that that light would also “lead to a lasting truce in Yemen and to reconciliation in Myanmar and Iran, and an end to all bloodshed.” The “political authorities” and “all people of good will” in the Americas, a region for which the pope—being Argentinian by birth—has a natural affection, he hoped would be equally illumined by it. Aggrieved by the “political and social tensions” there, he hoped Christ’s light would bring calm, being particularly concerned with the plight of the people of Haiti, “who have been suffering for a long time.”
Closer to home, the pope called on people’s solidarity with the unemployed and poor who are experiencing hardship in times of economic crisis, as now.
The pope went on to decry how the poor as well as foreigners often face rejection “in a world sick with indifference.” He implored his listeners to not forget those who are displaced or seeking refuge, and who “knock at our door in search of some comfort, warmth and food.”
In conclusion, the pope explained how the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem “shows us the simplicity of God, who reveals himself not to the wise and the intelligent but to the little ones, to those with a pure and open heart,” and that we, like the shepherds, should allow ourselves to be “amazed by the unthinkable event of God who becomes man for our salvation.”
