Pope Francis delivered a remarkable 2024 Christmas Day “Urbi et Orbi” address, urging peace in a world torn by many conflicts. His address is the start of the 2025 Holy Year celebration, expected to bring millions of Catholic faithfuls to Rome.
“I invite every individual, and all people of all nations … to become pilgrims of hope, to silence the sounds of arms and overcome divisions,” the Pope said Wednesday from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica.
He touched on several conflicts around the world, calling specifically for negotiations between Ukraine and Russia to “achieve a just and lasting peace” and end the war that has killed tens of thousands on both sides.
Pope Francis also renewed his call for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, calling the humanitarian crisis in Gaza “extremely grave,” and urged the release of remaining Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
He encouraged people “to tear down all walls of separation“. He remembered children suffering from war and hunger, the elderly living in solitude, those fleeing their homelands, and those persecuted for their faith.
Pilgrims’ Journey To The New Basilica
Pilgrims lined up early Wednesday to walk through the great Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica for Christmas observances.
A day earlier, on Christmas Eve, Pope Francis had knocked on the Door and was the first to enter, inaugurating the 2025 Jubilee dedicated to “Hope“.
Traversing the Holy Door allows the faithful to obtain indulgences, or forgiveness for sins, during a Jubilee, a once-every-quarter-century tradition dating from the 1300’s.
“You feel so humble when you go through the door that once you go through it, it’s almost like a release of emotions,” said one visiting tourist. “You feel like you can let go and put everything in the hands of God. It’s just a beautiful experience.”
Visitors submitted to security controls before entering the Holy Door. Many paused to touch the Door as they passed and made the sign of the cross upon entering the basilica.
St. Peter’s Basilica – the seat of the Roman Catholic Church was recently renovated. One of the most significant restorations is the Chair of St. Peter, an essential symbol of papal authority dating back to 875 AD.
The Pope Preaches Christ
The Pope began his Christmas message by explaining that the joy we celebrate today comes from the birth of the Lord Jesus. “I love you, I forgive you; come back to me, the door of my heart is open!” he said Jesus says.
He said “the door of God’s heart is always open” and called on all people to return to the heart “that loves and forgives us” and allows us to be reconciled to Him.
Recalling the Holy Door he opened on Christmas eve, the Pope said it “represents Jesus, the Door of salvation open for all.“
“Brothers and sisters,” the Pope continued, “do not be afraid! The Door is open, it is wide open! Come! Let us be reconciled with God, and then we will be reconciled with ourselves and able to be reconciled with one another, even our enemies. God’s mercy can do all things.“
The 88-years-old Pope acknowledged that crossing the threshold of that Door requires courage because we have to sacrifice our old ways and mindsets, put aside disputes and divisions, and surrender ourselves to God’s love.
“This Christmas, at the beginning of the Jubilee Year, I invite every individual, and all peoples and nations, to find the courage needed to walk through that Door, to become pilgrims of hope, to silence the sound of arms and overcome divisions!”
“Jesus, the eternal Word of God made incarnate, is the wide-open Door that we are invited to enter, in order to rediscover the meaning of our existence and the sacredness of all life, and to recover the foundational values of the human family.“
The Pope Prays For The World
The Pope prayed that the sound of weapons might be silenced everywhere and urged for strength and openness to negotiation and dialogue for a just and lasting peace.
Pope Francis talked about his concerns for the Christian communities in Lebanon and Syria during this transition after the fall of Bashar Assad’s regime. He prayed that “the doors of dialogue and peace be flung open throughout the region, devastated by conflict.”
He also prayed for the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Mozambique, where there are humanitarian crises due primarily to human causes – armed conflicts, the scourge of terrorism – and worsened by climate change, forcing the displacement of millions and putting many at mortal risk.
The Pope remembered the peoples of the Horn of Africa and prayed for “the gifts of peace, concord and fraternity.“
Also the Americas, mentioning Haiti, Venezuela, Colombia, Nicaragua and others by name.
Encouragement For Charity Workers
The Pope praised those who give of themselves in service, doing good, and helping others. He remembered parents, educators, and teachers “who are responsible for forming future generations.”
He thanked healthcare workers, service men and women, charitable organizations, and especially missionaries throughout the world, “who bring light and comfort to so many people in difficulty.“
The Pope prayed that this Jubilee offers an opportunity to forgive debts, especially of the poorest countries. We are all called to forgive others, as “the Son of God, born in the cold and darkness of the night, has forgiven our own,” the Pope recalled, and as the Lord “heals us and forgives us.“
“As pilgrims of hope, let us go out to meet Him! Let us open to Him the doors of our hearts, as he has opened to us the Door of His heart. I wish everyone a serene and blessed Christmas,” the Pope concluded.
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