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.

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.

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

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'

At the start of the 2025 Holy Year celebration he dedicated to hope, Francis called for broad reconciliation “even (with) our enemies.”

Pope Francis called for cease-fires for the conflicts in Ukraine and in the Middle East during his Christmas message in St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City.

As Christmas coincided with the start of the 2025 Holy Year celebration that he dedicated to hope, Francis called for broad reconciliation, “even (with) our enemies.”

Pope Francis in his traditional Christmas message urges everyone to find courage 'to silence the sounds of arms and overcome divisions' plaguing the world.

Pope Francis has called for a ceasefire on all war fronts in his Sunday prayer ahead of Christmas celebrations, condemning the “cruelty” of bombing schools and hospitals in Ukraine and Gaza