Celebrating the birth of Jesus, the prince of peace, should mean making a commitment to opposing all war, to cherishing human life, feeding the hungry and speaking up for those who have no voice, Pope Francis said.
“To say ‘yes’ to the Prince of Peace, then, means saying ‘no’ to war — and doing so with courage — saying no to every war, to the very mindset of war, an aimless voyage, a defeat without victors, an inexcusable folly,” the pope said Dec. 25 as he read his Christmas message and offered his blessing “urbi et orbi” (to the city and the world).
As he stood on the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica with an estimated 70,000 people gathered in St. Peter’s Square, the pope began his message speaking of Bethlehem where celebrations of Jesus’ birth are muted this year because of the Israeli-Hamas conflict.
The Pope Francis again called for a ceasefire and the release of hostages in the Gaza Strip, this Monday, December 25, 2023, during his traditional Christmas message. “I ask that the military operations, with their appalling trail of innocent civilian victims, cease, and that the desperate humanitarian situation be remedied by working for the arrival of humanitarian aid”, before thousands of faithful in St. Peter’s Square.
“The eyes and hearts of Christians the world over are turned towards Bethlehem, where pain and silence reign today”, the Pontiff lamented. He calls for “a solution to the Palestinian question, through sincere and persevering dialogue between the parties, backed by strong political will and the support of the international community”.
