Vatican:

Pope Francis revealed God's tender love for each of us in his Christmas message at the midday "Urbi et Orbi" blessing to the city and the world on Christmas Day. The Holy Father prayed for world peace and called for every effort to stop violence and help those suffering. The Pontiff extended his customary greetings to the masses assembled in Saint Peter's Square from the central loggia of Saint Peter's Basilica on Monday.

The Pope emphasized that although there are deep shadows over Bethlehem today, an undying flame has been lighted because God's light has triumphed over the darkness. “Let us exult in this gift of grace! ... Rejoice, you who have abandoned all hope, for God offers you His outstretched hand; He does not point a finger at you, but offers you His baby hand, to set you free from your fears, to relieve you of your burdens and to show you that, in His eyes, you are more valuable than anything else,” he added.

The Pope urged people to say "yes" to peace and "no" to war, saying that each war is "a defeat without victors, an inexcusable folly."  He also advocated for a "no" to weapons. He said when arms production, sales, and trade are on the rise, peace is considerably difficult to achieve and that public funds used for arms purchases may come at the expense of providing food for the needy.

The Holy Father criticized "the interests and the profits that move the puppet strings of war." He emphasized that these issues need to be brought up, "talked about and written about," as many people are unaware of the extent to which their public funds are being used for these things. He asked that we make every effort with God's help toward the day when one nation shall not lift a sword against another nation.

The Pope prayed for an end to the war that is destroying lives in Israel and Palestine while he looked toward regions of the world where peace is far away. He sent his condolences to the people of Gaza, especially the Christian communities. Assuring everyone of his prayers for their well-being, the Pope mentioned other countries striving for peace and stability, including war-torn Syria, Yemen, and struggling Lebanon. He called for peace for the people of Ukraine, urging everyone to renew their spiritual and human closeness to embattled people so that they, too, may feel the concrete reality of God’s love.

He wished that Armenia and Azerbaijan would come closer to a final peace, particularly via humanitarian efforts and the safe repatriation of refugees, taking into account their places of worship and religious customs.

The Pope offered prayers for the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, Sudan, Cameroon, the Horn of Africa, and the Sahel region—all regions where there is a great deal of tension but where peace is achievable with work and goodwill.

The Holy Father prayed that dialogue and reconciliation capable of creating the conditions for lasting peace deepen the "fraternal bonds" on the Korean peninsula.

He called for coordinated efforts to end social and political unrest, reduce poverty, and deal with the problems that drive human migration in the Americas. Finally, the Pope said the Jubilee of 2025 will be ushered in within a year, signifying a "season of grace and hope," but that we must be ready for it by undergoing a "conversion of hearts, for the rejection of war and the embrace of peace."

"May we gladly answer the call of the Lord, in the words of the prophecy of Isaiah, to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners."