ROME.- The Pope Leo XIV This Thursday, December 25th, he gave the blessing Urbe et Orbi (“of the city and the world,” in Latin). After the celebration of mass Christmas In St. Peter’s Basilica – a practice not seen since the pontificate of St. John Paul II – the pope addressed the faithful from the central balcony of the Vatican Basilica.
Looking back at the most important conflicts the world is going through, the pope called for “renewing the common commitment to helping those who are suffering.” “May we not be overwhelmed by indifference to those who suffer.”amplified in front of around 26,000 people in San Pedro Square.
During his Christmas blessing at the Vatican, he also called on Ukraine and Russia to find “the courage for sincere, direct and respectful dialogue.”
“Let us pray in a special way for the restless Ukrainian people so that the roar of arms stops and the parties involved, with the support of the international community, find the courage to engage in sincere, direct and respectful dialogue with each other,” he said.
Moscow and Kiev have been negotiating separately for several weeks over the US plan to end the almost four-year war.
Yesterday evening, Leo XIV held his first Holy Mass on Christmas Eve, in which he remembered Benedict
“To not welcome one is to reject the other. On the other hand, where there is room for man, there is also room for God,” said the pope, who invited the faithful to admire the “wisdom” of Christmas and invited them to reflect on the birth of Jesus as the final light that dispels the darkness of the world and human history.
During the liturgy, the pope recalled how people over the millennia have looked to the sky to find answers in the stars. However, he emphasized that on this Holy Night, “the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light: a light has shone upon those who lived in the land of darkness.” “Behold the star that amazes the world. Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you, who is the Messiah, the Lord,” he declared.
At the end of the homily, the Pope referred to the Church’s recent journey on Christmas and recalled the words of his predecessor: Pope Francis on “the hope that does not disappoint”. “Exactly a year ago, Pope Francis affirmed that the birth of Jesus revives in us the gift and task of bringing hope where it is broken, because with him joy blossoms, with him life changes, with him hope does not disappoint. With these words the holy year began,” he emphasized.
He also denounced that a “distorted” economy leads to treating men as commodities. “God becomes like us and reveals the infinite dignity of every human being.”he explained.
The Rooster Mass included the traditional procession of the Pope to the main altar and the solemn adoration of the Child Jesus.
With information from AFP and Europa Press
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