In his Christmas message delivered today from the Vatican, Pope Francis emphasized the need for the reunification of Cyprus.
“May the Jubilee be an opportunity to tear down all walls of separation: the ideological walls that so often mark political life, and also physical walls, such as the division that has affected the island of Cyprus for fifty years and rent its human and social fabric. I hope that a mutually agreed-upon solution will be found, one that can put an end to the division with full respect for the rights and dignity of all Cypriot communities,” said Pope Francis, addressing the faithful.
The Pope also called for an end to violence in the Middle East, specifically mentioning “the dear community in Gaza” and expressing solidarity with Christians living in Israel and Palestine. He reiterated his call for the release of hostages held in Israel and for humanitarian aid to reach the exhausted civilian population.
Pope Francis expressed solidarity with the Christian communities in Lebanon and Syria and called for dialogue across the wider region, “devastated by conflict,” while encouraging the people of Libya to “seek solutions that enable national reconciliation.”
Addressing Ukraine, the Pope said:
“May the sound of arms be silenced in war-torn Ukraine! May there be the boldness to open the door to negotiation and to gestures of dialogue and encounter, in order to achieve a just and lasting peace.”
As in previous years, the Pontiff placed particular emphasis on the African continent. He expressed his solidarity with the people of Congo, Mali, the Horn of Africa, and Sudan, among others.
Referring to Latin America, he called for “effective solutions to be found as soon as possible, with justice and truth, to promote social harmony, particularly in Haiti, Venezuela, Colombia, and Nicaragua.”
“Brothers and sisters, may the Jubilee be an opportunity to forgive debts, especially those that burden the poorest countries. Each of us is called to forgive those who have trespassed against us, because the Son of God, born in the cold and darkness of the night, has forgiven our sins. He came to heal us and forgive us,” Pope Francis concluded.