‘Tonight, our hearts are in Bethlehem’: Pope Francis appeal for peace during Christmas Eve mass – as he decries ‘futile logic of war’ as conflict rages on in Gaza
- The Pope said: 'Tonight our hearts are in Bethlehem, where the Prince of Peace is once again rejected by the futile logic of war'
The Pope today called for peace as he opened Christmas celebrations with a Mass in St. Peter's Basilica as the war between Israel and Hamas raged in the Gaza Strip.
“Tonight our hearts are in Bethlehem, where the Prince of Peace is once again rejected by the futile logic of war, by the clash of arms that even today prevents him from finding a place in the world,” the pope told some 6,500 faithful. who attended the traditional service.
Francis' speech never mentioned Israel or Gaza by name, but he made numerous references to violence and war, arguing that justice would not come from a “show of force.”
The Pope said that Jesus “does not eliminate injustice from above through a show of power, but from below, through a show of love.”
“He does not come on the scene with limitless power,” he said, speaking in Italian and with an official translation in seven languages.
Pope Francis leads Christmas Eve Mass in St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican on December 24, 2023
Pope Francis leads Christmas Eve Mass in St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, Sunday, December 24, 2023
Pope Francis celebrates Christmas Eve Mass in St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, December 24, 2023
During his weekly Angelus prayer earlier today, the Pope said that “we are close to our brothers and sisters who are suffering from war – we think of Palestine, of Israel, of Ukraine.”
On Christmas Day, the Pope will lead the traditional 'Urbi and Orbi' prayer at 11am GMT, normally mentioning conflicts around the world.
A new document explains a radical change in Vatican policy, insisting that worshipers seeking God's love and mercy should not be subjected to “an exhaustive moral analysis” in order to receive it.
A Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 killed about 1,140 people, most of them civilians.
The Palestinian terrorists have also kidnapped about 250 people, of whom Israel says 129 remain in Gaza.
Israel retaliated with a sustained bombardment and ground invasion of Gaza, killing 20,424 people, mostly women and children, according to the latest figures from the territory's Hamas-led health ministry.
The pope has repeatedly denounced attacks on civilians in the ongoing conflict.