Pope Francis: "Our heart is in Bethlehem today"
The wars in Ukraine and the Middle East characterize the year 2023. Pope Francis takes the traditional Christmas Mass as an opportunity to condemn the "noise of weapons". The pontiff proclaims his Christmas message in front of thousands of believers.
Pope Francis used the Christmas Mass in St. Peter's Basilica as a reminder for peace. The head of the approximately 1.3 billion Catholics worldwide recalled the Christmas message "Peace on earth to men" at the service in the Vatican. With regard to the war in the Middle East, Francis added: "Our hearts are in Bethlehem tonight, where the Prince of Peace is still rejected by the doomed logic of war, by the noise of weapons."
This year's feast is particularly marked by the wars in the Gaza Strip and Ukraine. According to the Vatican, around 7,000 people took part in the service in St. Peter's Basilica. Thousands also followed the events on St. Peter's Square in front of the church on large screens. On Monday, Pope Francis then spoke the Urbi et Orbi blessing to the city and the world from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica.
Christmas is being celebrated very quietly in the Holy Land this year due to the Gaza war between Israel and the Islamist Hamas. In Bethlehem in the West Bank - according to tradition the birthplace of Jesus Christ - there are hardly any tourists, unlike usual. Christmas trees have been dispensed with. Access to the city is extremely restricted by Israeli army roadblocks. There are practically no Christmas decorations in Jerusalem either.
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Source: www.ntv.de
