Pope Francis addressed the faithful around the world in his traditional Christmas address and placed special emphasis on the war in Ukraine. He assured that this is a "senseless war,” called for "silencing the weapons" and once again described the current international situation as "World War III.”
From the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, at noon in Rome and before approximately 70,000 people, the Pope spoke of "the children who in every corner of the world yearn for peace" and mentioned the suffering the Ukrainian people are facing as part of the Russian invasion. "May our gaze be filled with the faces of Ukrainian brothers and sisters, who are living this Christmas in darkness, in the open or far from their homes, because of the destruction caused by ten months of war," he declared.
Along the same lines, he called for "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.” Due to the lack of electricity plaguing the country in the middle of winter, this week, Polish Cardinal Konrad Krajevski traveled to Kiev on behalf of the Vatican to deliver thermal shirts and power generators.
Si queremos que sea #Navidad, la Navidad de Jesús y de la paz, contemplemos el rostro del Niño que nos ha nacido. Y en ese pequeño rostro inocente, reconozcamos el de los niños que en cada rincón del mundo anhelan la #paz. https://t.co/vdfqng5tfw
— Papa Francisco (@Pontifex_es) December 25, 2022
"World War III"
When it came to elaborating on the current geopolitical situation, Pope Francis discussed several conflicts around the world and repeated his idea that humanity is going through a "Third World War.” "Our time is experiencing a serious lack of peace also in other regions, in other scenarios of this Third World War," he stated.
The Pope began by naming Syria, "still martyred by a conflict that has faded into the background but is not over.” He also recalled the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, "where during the past months violence and conflicts have increased, with deaths and injuries.”
On the other hand, he prayed especially for Lebanon, "so that it can finally recover," and dedicated an important segment of his speech to Africa, a region which the Vatican has been particularly focused on during Francis' papacy. "Peaceful coexistence between peoples and traditions is disturbed by confrontations and violence," he exclaimed. In early 2023, the Supreme Pontiff will travel to South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Finally, encompassed in his idea that the "raw winds of war continue to blow on humanity.” he mentioned Yemen, calling for a "lasting truce.” He also named Myanmar, Iran and Afghanistan in the hope that "all bloodshed will cease.”
