In his traditional Christmas message on Wednesday, Pope Francis urged people across all nations to embrace courage during this Holy Year to “silence the sounds of arms and overcome divisions” affecting the world, from Ukraine to the Middle East, and from Africa to Asia.
Delivering his “Urbi et Orbi” (“To the City and the World”) address from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica, the pope reflected on the global challenges of the year and called for reconciliation, even with adversaries. He encouraged individuals to become “pilgrims of hope” and invoked the symbolism of the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica, which he opened on Christmas Eve to inaugurate the 2025 Jubilee. He described the door as a representation of God’s mercy, capable of breaking down walls of division and eradicating hatred.
The pope called for an end to the violence in Ukraine and the Middle East, specifically highlighting Christian communities in Israel, the Palestinian territories, Lebanon, and Syria. He also repeated his plea for the release of hostages taken by Hamas in October 2023.
As part of the Jubilee celebration, which is expected to draw 32 million Catholic pilgrims to Rome, throngs of people lined up to pass through the Holy Door, a tradition that offers indulgences, or forgiveness of sins. Blanca Martin, a pilgrim from San Diego, described the emotional experience as a profound sense of release and trust in God.
Heightened security measures were in place for the event, following recent safety concerns, including a deadly Christmas market attack in Germany.
