VATICAN CITY — In his customary Christmas message delivered on Wednesday, Pope Francis invited “individuals from all nations” to muster the courage during this Holy Year to quell the conflicts and divisions afflicting regions worldwide, including places like the Middle East, Ukraine, Africa, and Asia.
The pontiff’s message, known as “Urbi et Orbi” — which translates to “To the City and the World” — encapsulates the myriad hardships faced globally throughout the year. With the Christmas celebration coinciding with the commencement of the 2025 Holy Year dedicated to hope, Francis called for universal reconciliation, extending offers of peace “even (to) our enemies.”
“Let us all journey together as pilgrims of hope,” the pope expressed, addressing the multitude gathered in St. Peter’s Square from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica.
Francis highlighted the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica, which he opened on Christmas Eve to mark the beginning of the 2025 Jubilee, as a symbol of God’s mercy. He asserted that this divine mercy dismantles barriers and eradicates animosity.
He urged for the cessation of gunfire in battle-worn Ukraine and the Middle East, particularly focusing on the Christian populations in Israel, the Palestinian territories, as well as Lebanon and Syria. The pope reiterated his call for the release of hostages taken from Israel by Hamas on October 7, 2023.
On Christmas Day, throngs of pilgrims lined up to traverse the Holy Door at St. Peter’s, hoping that this Jubilee would attract about 32 million Catholic faithful to Rome. Walking through the Holy Door offers the chance for indulgences, a form of forgiveness for sins during this once-in-a-generation tradition, which dates back to 1300.
“It feels so humbling to go through the door; it’s almost a release, a release of emotions,” shared Blanca Martin, a pilgrim from San Diego. “You feel this ability to let go and surrender everything to God. I’m getting emotional—it’s truly a beautiful experience.”
As safety concerns heightened following a tragic Christmas market attack in Germany, pilgrims underwent necessary security checks.
In a notable intersection of faith, Hanukkah, the eight-day Festival of Lights in Judaism, commenced on Christmas Day, an event which has only occurred four times since 1900. This unique timing has prompted religious leaders to organize interfaith gatherings, like a recent Hanukkah celebration in Houston, Texas, which united members of the city’s Latino and Jewish communities over traditional foods.
Despite Hanukkah being a festival of joy, rabbis acknowledged the somber backdrop of ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and growing antisemitic sentiments. These two holidays rarely overlap due to the Jewish calendar being based on lunar cycles, diverging from the Gregorian calendar that fixes Christmas on December 25. The most recent occurrence of this overlap was in 2005.
Observing the situation in Ukraine, soldiers on the eastern front marked another Christmas in ongoing conflict, away from their families since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. One soldier, identified only as OREL, the Ukrainian commander of the 211th battalion, admitted that he nearly forgot the significance of Christmas, overwhelmed by the grim reality of war.
“Honestly, I was reminded of the holiday only later in the day when someone mentioned it in our group,” he said. “We don’t have holidays or weekends—it’s all very dull and my focus is exclusively on protecting my team and countering the enemy.”
Nevertheless, some soldiers expressed a glimmer of hope for peace in the future. There is anticipation that the upcoming inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump might foster a ceasefire, offering soldiers enduring extensive combat the prospect of a resolution.
“On occasions like this, I wish for peace for everyone,” said a soldier named Valerie from the 24th Mechanized Brigade. “Hope is always present—everyone yearns for peace and to return home.”
In the northeastern U.S., residents of New York City experienced their first white Christmas in Central Park since 2009, as reported by the National Weather Service. The park recorded a snow depth of 1 inch early in the morning.
In Massachusetts, schoolchildren creatively named numerous snowplows, with titles like “Taylor Drift” and “Ice Ice Baby,” as the state’s Department of Transportation announced the winners of a naming contest.
On Christmas Day, President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden took time to connect with various branches of the military stationed abroad, expressing their gratitude for their service.
The festive season in Germany, however, was marred by a tragic car attack at a Christmas market in Magdeburg that resulted in five fatalities, including a 9-year-old boy, along with 200 injuries. In response, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier adapted his Christmas Day address to acknowledge the grief and horror stemming from this incident, appealing for unity and denouncing hate.
A 50-year-old Saudi doctor, who had been practicing medicine in Germany since 2006, was apprehended in connection with the attack, facing charges of murder and attempted murder. His social media activity reportedly revealed anti-Islamic sentiments.
Despite the tragic backdrop, some Germans sought solace in holiday traditions, such as members of the Berlin Seals winter swimming club who donned Santa hats and took a chilly plunge into Oranke Lake on Christmas Day. Additionally, rabbis gathered to witness the setup of a giant Hanukkah menorah in front of the Brandenburg Gate.
Meanwhile, in Gaza, an elderly Christian couple navigated the Christmas season in a dismal tent camp, separated from loved ones. Amal Amouri and her husband, Tony Al-Masri, are part of Gaza’s small Christian population, with many others finding refuge in a church during the ongoing conflict.
Living in precarious conditions, Al-Masri, who recently suffered a stroke and now relies on a cane, recounted cherished memories of Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem with family. “On occasions like this, I would be with my children and grandchildren in Bethlehem. We’ve been deprived of that experience,” he lamented. “This has been the hardest part for me—it’s been two years without seeing my loved ones.”
Amid their struggles, his wife decorated their tent with religious symbols and prayers, expressing her only desire: “I only wish for peace.”
