Pope urges world to lay down arms, 'overcome division' in Christmas message

Pope Francis in his traditional Christmas message on Wednesday called on “all people of all nations” to find courage this Holy Year to “silence the sounds of weapons and overcome the divisions” that plague the world, from the Middle East to Ukraine, Africa to Asia.

The pope's speech “Urbi et Orbi” (to the city and to the world) serves as a summary of the grief facing the whole world this year. As Christmas coincides with the start of the celebration of the 2025 Holy Year that he dedicated to hope, Francis called for a wider reconciliation, “even [with] our enemies.”

“I invite everyone, and all people of all nations … to be pilgrims of hope, silence the sound of weapons and overcome division,” said the pope from the palace of St.

The Pope appealed to the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica, which he opened on Christmas Eve to launch the Jubilee of 2025, as representing God's grace, “which loosens all knots, breaks down all walls of separation; removes hatred and the spirit of revenge.”

WATCH | Pope Francis presents the Christmas message 'Urbi et Orbi':

He called for a ceasefire in war-torn Ukraine and the Middle East, for Christian communities in Israel and the Palestinian territories, “especially in Gaza where the humanitarian situation is very bad,” and in Lebanon and Syria at this critical time.”

Francis repeated his calls for the release of hostages taken from Israel by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023.

He cited the deadly measles outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the suffering of the people of Myanmar, who were forced to flee their homes by “ongoing armed conflict.” The pope also remembered the children who suffered from wars and hunger, the elderly who lived alone, those who fled their countries, those who lost their jobs and people who were persecuted for their faith.

The Jubilee is expected to draw millions to Rome

Pilgrims lined up on Christmas Day to walk through the main Holy Door at the entrance of St. Peter's Basilica, as the Jubilee is expected to bring about 32 million Catholics to Rome.

Walking through the Holy Department is one of the ways the faithful can receive forgiveness, or the forgiveness of sins during the Jubilee, a quarter-century tradition that began in 1300.

Pilgrims have passed through security checkpoints before entering the Holy Door, amid fresh security fears following a deadly attack on a Christmas market in Germany.

Many pause to touch the door as they pass and make the sign of the cross as they enter the chapel dedicated to St. Peter, founder of the Roman Catholic Church.

“You feel so humbled when you walk in the door that when you walk through it's like a release, an emotional release,” said Blanca Martin, a traveler from San Diego. “It's almost like an emotional release, you feel like now you can let go and put everything in God's hands. Look, I'm having emotions. It's just a beautiful thing.”