“Winds of war are blowing over humanity”, Pope Francis highlights in his Christmas message

The Pope Francisco asked today “May the minds of those who have the power to silence the weapons be enlightened” Y “be terminated immediately” to “foolish” war on Ukraineand denounced that “cold winds of war blow over humanity”, in the Christmas message delivered from the central lodge of the basilica of Saint Peter before the Urbi et Otbi blessing.

Before the tens of thousands of people gathered in the square and in a message broadcast by Mundovisión, the Pope asked to remember “the faces of the Ukrainian brothers and sisters, who live this Christmas in the dark, in the open or far from their homes, because of the destruction caused by ten months of war”.

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And as shelling continues in Ukraine, he called for “may the Lord prepare us to make concrete gestures of solidarity to help those who are suffering, and enlighten the minds of those who have the power to silence the weapons and put an immediate end to this senseless war”.

People hold a banner in support of Ukraine as Pope Francis leads the Urbi et Orbi prayer from the balcony of the façade of Saint Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican for Christmas, on December 25, 2022. (Photo by EFE/EPA/ ANSA/CLAUDIO PERI) (ANSA/CLAUDIO PERI/)

”Unfortunately, it is preferred to listen to other reasons, dictated by the logic of the world. But the voice of the Child, who listens to it?”, cried Francis from the place where he appeared to the world for the first time as pope on March 13, 2013.

In this Christmas message that has become a tradition to review the conflicts and evils in the world, he lamented “that our time is experiencing a serious lack of peace also in other regions, in other scenarios of this third world war”.

Winds of war continue to blow over humanity

He found “with pain” what, “At the same time that the Prince of Peace is given to us, harsh winds of war continue to blow frigidly over humanity.”.

And he cited Syria “still martyred by a conflict that took a backseat but has not ended”; Holy Land, “where during the past months violence and conflicts have increased, with deaths and injuries” and implored so that “dialogue and the search for reciprocal trust between Israelis and Palestinians is resumed”.

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He also asked the Child Jesus “to help Lebanon in particular, so that it can finally recover, with the support of the international community and with the strength of brotherhood and solidarity” Y “may the light of Christ illuminate the Sahel region, where peaceful coexistence between peoples and traditions is disturbed by clashes and violence”.

He begged for it to come”a lasting truce in Yemen“and go away”towards reconciliation in Myanmar and Iran, so that all bloodshed stops”.

People hold a banner in support of Ukraine as Pope Francis leads the Urbi et Orbi prayer from the balcony of the façade of Saint Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican for Christmas, on December 25, 2022. (Photo by EFE/EPA/ ANSA/CLAUDIO PERI) (ANSA/CLAUDIO PERI/)

He also urged and efforts so that “the political and social tensions that affect several countries of the American continent are pacified”.

He asked the Child Jesus, “that it inspire the political authorities and all people of good will in the American continent, to make an effort to pacify the political and social tensions that affect various countries; I am thinking particularly of the Haitian people, who have been suffering for a long time”.

Wars use war as a weapon

Francis stated that “on this day, when it is beautiful to meet again around a well-prepared table” let’s not forget “to hungry people, especially children, while vast amounts of food are wasted every day and goods squandered for weapons”.

”The war in Ukraine has further aggravated the situation, leaving entire populations at risk of famine, especially in Afghanistan and in the countries of the Horn of Africa.”, said the Pope, who pointed out that “all war causes famine and uses food itself as a weapon, preventing its distribution to people who are already suffering”.

Pope Francis directs the Urbi et Orbi prayer from the balcony of the façade of Saint Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican on the occasion of the Christmas holidays, on December 25, 2022. (Photo by EFE/EPA/ANSA/CLAUDIO PERI)

And he urged commitment, first of all those who have political responsibilities, so that “food is nothing more than an instrument of peace”.

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In his Christmas message he did not forget “to the families that are most wounded by life, and in those that, in this time of economic crisis, have difficulties due to the lack of work and the necessary things to live”.

As well as requestednot to forget so many migrants and refugees who knock on our door in search of comfort, warmth and food” Y “to the marginalized, the lonely, the orphans and the elderly who are at risk of being discarded; of the prisoners that we look at only for their mistakes and not as human beings”.

Later, as is traditional, he gave the Urbi et Orbi blessing (to the city and to the world) from the balcony where he appeared as pope on March 13, 2013.

Source: Elcomercio