Status: 25.12.2023, 12:43 p.m.
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"How many massacres of innocents there are in the world: in the womb; on the routes of the desperate in search of hope; in the lives of so many children whose childhoods are being destroyed by war": Pope Francis. © Gregorio Borgia/AP/dpa
As every year at Christmas, the Pope gives the blessing Urbi et Orbi. As every year, he calls for peace - this time especially in the Middle East. But he also finds drastic words on the subject of abortion.
Rome - Pope Francis, in his Christmas message, has called for an immediate peace in the Gaza war and a lasting solution to the Middle East conflict at the negotiating table. "I beg that the military operations, with their horrific consequences of innocent civilian victims, be stopped," the head of the Catholic Church told tens of thousands of people in St. Peter's Square in Rome.
Francis also called for peace in other conflict regions such as Ukraine, Syria and the Sahel. At the same time, he condemned the business of the arms industry.
Blessing Urbi et Orbi
After his speech, the leader of a total of 1.3 billion Catholics gave the blessing Urbi et Orbi, that is, to the city and the world. Previously, Francis had already drawn attention to the fate of the people in the Middle East during Christmas Mass on Christmas Eve.
In the Holy Land, Christmas is being celebrated very quietly this year because of the Gaza war between Israel and the Islamist Hamas. In Bethlehem in the West Bank - according to tradition, the birthplace of Jesus Christ - and Jerusalem, there are hardly any tourists.
The Pope said in his address: "Do not continue to stir up violence and hatred, but lead the Palestinian question to a solution. And it does so through a sincere and persistent dialogue between the parties, underpinned by a strong political will and the support of the international community." At the same time, he demanded that Hamas release all the hostages. Francis described their attack on Israel on October 7 as "despicable." He called on Israel to allow more aid to enter the Gaza Strip.
Pope only briefly mentions other conflict regions
In his speech, the pontiff also referred to other conflict regions, but only relatively briefly. Commenting on Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, which will soon last two years, he said: "With my eyes fixed on the baby Jesus, I plead for peace for Ukraine. We reaffirm our spiritual and human closeness to their tormented people." Francis also recalled that many conflicts in the world do not receive much attention. "How many armed massacres take place in deafening silence without many knowing about it!"
The 87-year-old, who has been at the head of the Catholic Church for more than a decade, also drew a comparison with abortion. "How many massacres of innocents there are in the world: in the womb; on the routes of the desperate in search of hope; in the lives of so many children whose childhoods are destroyed by war." Francis is known to be a staunch opponent of abortion. He has also called abortion "murder."
Pope: No to Arms
In his Christmas address, the pontiff also castigated the work of the arms industry, which derives great profit from wars and conflicts. "To say 'no' to war, you have to say 'no' to weapons," Francis said. "For if the man whose heart is restless and wounded holds in his hands instruments of death, sooner or later he will use them." The Pope spoke of "machinations of evil that oppose the divine light, in the shadow of hypocrisy and secrecy." The interests and profits of the "masterminds of the wars" must be made public.
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The Pope gave the blessing standing on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica. During the speech, he remained seated. The 87-year-old has been struggling with health for some time, including a knee problem. Dpa