Pope Francis appealed for negotiations to end Russia’s ongoing invasion in Ukraine and for a ceasefire in the war-ravaged Middle East during his annual Christmas Day message.
“May the sound of arms be silenced in Ukraine!” said Francis, as he delivered his Dec. 25 urbi et orbi (“to the city and the world”) message and blessing. “May there be the boldness needed to open the door to negotiation and to gestures of dialogue and encounter, in order to achieve a just and lasting peace.”
The pope’s plea comes in the wake of yet another Russian missile attack on Ukraine’s infrastructure, triggering numerous blackouts throughout the country on Christmas Day. In March, the pope encouraged peace talks to bring about an end to the conflict. Those remarks were widely denounced by Ukrainian government officials, as they were interpreted as a call for the country to surrender to Russia.
Since then, the Holy See has repeatedly insisted that any negotiations must be aimed toward a “just peace,” which includes respecting each country’s territorial integrity.
Reflecting on the birth of Christ in the city of Bethlehem, the pontiff used his Christmas message to express solidarity with the Christian communities in Israel and Palestine, and particularly those in Gaza. The pope — who makes nightly calls to Gaza’s sole Catholic parish — decried the “grave” humanitarian situation there.
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With thanks to the National Catholic Reporter (NCR) and Christopher White, where this article originally appeared.
