As the world celebrates the birth of the Prince of Peace, humanity is experiencing a “grave famine of peace,” the pope said.
The “Urbi et Orbi” blessing — which refers to the pope’s dual roles as bishop of Rome and head of the global Catholic Church — is reserved for the most solemn occasions, such as Easter, Christmas, and the first public appearance of a new pope.
In this year’s Christmas “Urbi et Orbi” address, the pope highlighted specific conflicts around the world, beginning with Ukraine, noting that the war has far-reaching consequences, “putting entire peoples at risk of famine, especially in Afghanistan and in the countries of the Horn of Africa.”
Pope Francis also mentioned Syria, where he said that the conflict has “receded into the background but has not ended.”
“Let us think too of the Holy Land, where 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,” he said.
The pope also asked the Christ Child to help Lebanon and to “sustain all the Christian communities living in the Middle East.”
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