This archive report was first published on 25 December 2019.
On Christmas Day, 2019, Pope Francis delivered his traditional 'Urbi et Orbi' (To the City and the World) speech at the Vatican, urging the international community to find solutions to global conflicts.
He expressed his concern for the Syrian people, who have suffered for over a decade, and called for an end to hostilities in the region.
The Pope also addressed the crisis in Lebanon, hoping for a return to 'harmonious coexistence' and peace in the Middle East, particularly in Iraq and Yemen.
He noted that many people in South America, including Venezuela, are experiencing social and political upheaval, and urged the international community to provide aid to those in need.
Additionally, Pope Francis prayed for peace in Ukraine and denounced attacks on Christians in Africa, as well as praying for victims of conflict, natural disasters, and disease in the world's poorest continent.
He also highlighted the plight of migrants, saying that 'it is injustice that makes them cross deserts and seas that become cemeteries.'
Furthermore, the Pope called for peace in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has been plagued by insecurity for a quarter of a century.
