Pope Francis has the Christmas Mass at the St. Peter's Basilica used as a reminder of peace. The head of the approximately 1.3 billion Catholics remembered Sunday night at the service in Vatican to the Christmas message “Peace on Earth to men”.
Referring to the war in the Middle East, Francis said: “Our hearts are in Bethlehem tonight, where the Prince of Peace is still repelled by the condemned logic of war, by the noise of weapons.”
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This year the festival is particularly influenced by wars Gaza strip And in Ukraine. According to the Vatican, around 7,000 people attended the religious service in St. Peter's Basilica.
Furthermore, events in Saint Peter's Square watched by thousands of people on big screens in front of the church. At the Monday Pope Francis then gives the blessing from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica Urbi and Orbithe city and the world.
© Image: EPA/GIUSEPPE LAMI
Christmas will be celebrated very discreetly in the Holy Land this year because of the war in Gaza between Israel and Islamic Hamas. In Bethlehem Contrary to usual, there are almost no tourists in the West Bank – according to tradition, the birthplace of Jesus Christ. There were no Christmas trees. Access to the city is extremely restricted by Israeli army roadblocks. There are also practically no Christmas decorations in Jerusalem.