Pope calls for worldwide ceasefire at Christmas

Pope Leo

The Pope said Russia’s refusal to accept a short-term ceasefire caused him “great sadness,” especially given its recent large-scale attacks on Ukraine.

“Let there be 24 hours of peace in the world,” he told reporters.

Leo, whose papacy began in May, will celebrate his first Christmas Eve Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday, where he is expected to speak against war and violence and remember the suffering of civilians.

On Christmas Day, the Pope will deliver the traditional Christmas message in St. Peter’s Square.

The spiritual leader of nearly 1.4 billion Catholics is expected to deliver the “Urbi et Orbi” (“To the City and the World”) blessing, with tens of thousands of worshipers expected to attend.

The Pope also touched upon the situation in the Middle East in his previous comments on Tuesday evening, saying that he met with the priest in Gaza City.

He said residents were trying to celebrate Christmas despite extremely precarious conditions.