Pope Francis, in his Christmas message to the world on Tuesday, urged people to see differences as a source of richness instead of danger and called for reconciliation in places torn apart by war and conflict.
Francis delivered his the traditional papal "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the world) message to tens of thousands of people in a sunny St. Peter's Square.
Security has been tight around the Vatican for the Christmas season, with military jeeps stationed at key access routes.
In his address, in what appeared to be a reference to the shrill political climate in a number of countries, Francis called for "fraternity among people with different ideas, yet capable of respecting and listening to one another."
The first Latin American pope alluded to polarisation over migration, saying God wanted "love, acceptance, respect for this poor humanity of ours, which we all share in a great variety of races, languages, and cultures."
Francis called for the resumption of dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians to "undertake a journey of peace that can put an end to a conflict that for over seventy years has lacerated the land chosen by the Lord to show his face of love."
He urged the international community to work for a political solution in Syria and said he hoped a truce brokered in Yemen's civil war could bring relief to a population exhausted by violence and famine.
Francis called for the rediscovery of social harmony in Nicaragua and Venezuela, both racked by internal political conflicts.
The millions of refugees or displaced persons in Africa who in need of humanitarian assistance and food security should not be forgotten, he said.
Autor: gf / Źródło: TVN24 News in English, Reuters