Pope shares Christmas message, marking start of the 2025 Holy Year for Catholics worldwide
CBSN
Pope Francis delivered a plea for peace in a world torn by conflict in his 2024 Christmas Day "Urbi et Orbi" ("To the City and the World") address. It came as Christmas marked the start of the 2025 Holy Year celebration that is expected to bring some 32 million Catholic faithful to Rome.
"I invite every individual, and all people of all nations ... to become pilgrims of hope, to silence the sounds of arms and overcome divisions," the pontiff said, speaking from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica to a crowd of thousands of people in the square below.
He urged negotiations between Ukraine and Russia to "achieve a just and lasting peace" and end the war that has killed tens of thousands since Moscow's full-scale invasion more than two years ago. The conflict did not pause for the holiday, as Russia carried out what it called a "massive strike" targeting energy facilities in Ukraine on Christmas Day.
