Pope Francis says ‘icy winds of war buffet humanity’ in Christmas Day address

Pontiff uses his annual message to decry armed conflicts

Thousands gathered in St Peter’s Square to hear the speech (Reuters)

Pope Francis used his Christmas message on Sunday to lament the “icy winds of war” buffeting humanity and to make an impassioned plea for an immediate end to the fighting in Ukraine, a conflict he decried as “senseless”.

Francis delivered the traditional Urbi et Orbi speech from the central balcony of St Peter's Basilica to tens of thousands of tourists, pilgrims and residents of Rome crowded into St Peter’s Square.

Francis also cited long-running conflicts in the Middle East, including in the Holy Land, “where in recent months violence and confrontations have increased, bringing death and injury in their wake”. In addition, he prayed for a lasting truce in Yemen and for reconciliation in Iran and Myanmar.

He lamented that on Christmas, the “path of peace” is blocked by social forces that include “attachment to power and money, pride, hypocrisy, falsehood”.

“Indeed, we must acknowledge with sorrow that ... the icy winds of war continue to buffet humanity," Francis said.

Pope Francis delivering his Christmas Day ‘Urbi et Orbi’ address (AFP via Getty Images)

“If we want it to be Christmas, the birth of Jesus and of peace, let us look to Bethlehem and contemplate the face of the child who is born for us,” he said. “And in that small and innocent face, let us see the faces of all those children who, everywhere in the world, long for peace.”

Francis urged the faithful to remember the millions of Ukrainians who were without electricity or heating because of Russian attacks on energy infrastructure, as well as the millions more living as refugees abroad or displaced within their country since the 24 February invasion ordered by Vladimir Putin.

“Let us also see the faces of our Ukrainian brothers and sisters, who are experiencing this Christmas in the dark and cold, far from their homes due to the devastation caused by 10 months of war,” the pontiff said.

A banner in support of Ukraine in St Peter’s Square on Sunday (EPA)

The pope prayed that the Lord will “enlighten the minds of those who have the power to silence the thunder of weapons and put an immediate end to this senseless war!”

“On this day, as we sit around a well-spread table, may we not avert our gaze from Bethlehem, a town whose name means ‘house of bread,’ but think of all those, especially the children, who go hungry while huge amounts of food daily go to waste and resources are being spent on weapons.”

“The war in Ukraine has further aggravated this situation, putting entire peoples at risk of famine, especially in Afghanistan and in the countries of the Horn of Africa,” Francis said.