Pope Francis on Wednesday urged “all people of all nations” to find the courage “to silence the sounds of arms" and overcome divisions plaguing the world, from the Middle East to Ukraine, Africa to Asia (Dec.

In his traditional Christmas message on 25 December, Pope Francis mentioned the war in Ukraine, calling for an end to it and for negotiations for a just peace. Source: European Pravda Details: Pope Francis devoted two sentences of his Christmas message to the mention of Russia's full-scale aggression against Ukraine.

He made the remarks a day after the start of the Roman Catholic Church’s Holy Year, known as a Jubilee, which takes place every quarter century. On Tuesday evening, Francis opened the Holy Door in St. Peter’s Basilica so that the first pilgrims could go through. Millions more are expected to follow over the year.

Pope Francis called for peace around the world and for global conflicts to end in his annual “Urbi et Orbi” Christmas message to the faithful.

Pope Francis’ message came after Russia struck Ukraine on Christmas day, targeting the country’s energy grid and injuring several people across Kyiv and Kharkiv

Pilgrims lined up to walk through the great Holy Door at the entrance of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome as Christmas marks the start of the 2025 Holy Year celebration.

The pope has earned a controversial reputation in Ukraine with his earlier remarks that relativized the responsibility of Russia’s war, encouraging Ukrainians to have the "courage" to negotiate for peace.

As Hannukah and Christmas coincide, pontiff uses his annual 'Urbi et Orbi' address to urge 'all peoples and nations... to silence the sound of arms and overcome divisions'

In his Christmas Day address, Francis mentioned the Ukraine conflict directly and called for "the boldness needed to open the door to negotiation".

Pope Francis has called for negotiations between Ukraine and Russia to end the war triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In his traditional Christmas Day address, the Pope said "boldness [was] needed to open the door" to dialogue "in order to achieve a just and lasting peace" between the two sides.

Christmas Urbi et Orbi address, Pope Francis delivered a fervent plea for an end to the Russia-Ukraine War, urging global leaders to embrace reconciliation and dialogue. Speaking from the central balcony