After a year marked by the bloody conflict in Ukraine, Pope Francis denounced the world’s wars and conflicts on Christmas Eve. During Christmas in St. Peter’s Basilica, the head of the Catholics said: «People who are hungry for power and money in the world consume even their neighbors, their brothers and sisters. How many wars are there! And in how many places are dignity and freedom trampled today!” However, he did not directly mention the war in Ukraine in his sermon.
At the service, celebrated for the first time after two Corona years in front of some 7,000 guests in the packed St. Peter’s Basilica and some 3,000 people outside in St. Peter’s Square, Francis called the weak and poor the “most important victims of human greed”. He said: “Even this Christmas, a humanity that insatiably strives for money, power and pleasure makes no room for the little ones, for the many unborn, poor, forgotten people, as it was with Jesus. I think in particular of the children who are devoured by war, poverty and injustice.”
Due to knee problems, he sat next to the altar
Francis presided over Mass, but celebrated it largely sitting next to the altar because of his knee pain. The Argentinian mentioned that Jesus was born without luxuries and comforts – but that “the true riches of life came to light”, namely interpersonal relationships. “Of course it’s not easy to leave the pleasant warmth of worldliness to embrace the austere beauty of the Cave of Bethlehem,” he said.
“But we must remember that there is no real Christmas without the poor. Christmas is also celebrated without them, but not the Christmas of Jesus,” Francis preached. «Brothers, sisters, God is poor at Christmas: may charity bloom again!» (SDA)