Pope Francis calls for “silencing the guns” around the world, calling for peace in the Middle East, Ukraine and Sudan in his Christmas address while denouncing the “extremely serious” humanitarian situation in Gaza.
On Wednesday, he used his traditional message to the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics to call for negotiations for a just peace in Ukraine, as the country was hit by 170 Russian missiles and drones in a barrage on Christmas morning which kyiv described as “inhumane”.
In a breathless voice, the 88-year-old pontiff also called for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
In Sednaya, Syria, a large crowd gathered near a historic monastery on Christmas Eve to watch the lighting of a towering tree adorned with brilliant green lights.
The celebration offered a rare moment of joy in a city scarred by more than a decade of war and its infamous prison, where tens of thousands of people were detained and tortured. Families and friends stood near the lit tree – some wore Santa hats, others watched from rooftops – as a band played festive music and fireworks lit up the sky .
Meanwhile, a snowstorm in the Balkans stranded drivers and brought down power lines on Tuesday, but some saw the beauty in it.
“I’m really happy that it went down,” said driver Mirsad Jasarevic in Zenica, Bosnia-Herzegovina. “We haven’t had snow for Christmas in 17 years here, and now it’s time for a wonderful white Christmas.”
