On Christmas Eve, St. Peter’s Basilica Pope Francis urges all nations to ‘silence the sounds of arms’

From the high ramparts of St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis issued a message on the importance of speaking in one voice, against the violence and divisions plaguing the world. To the crowd below the holy Church, he said “I invite every individual, and all people of all nations … to become pilgrims of hope, to silence the sounds of arms and overcome divisions.”

Coinciding with the New Year celebrations, his concern regarding the world happenings is reflected in his address. “Urbi et Orbi” — “To the City and the World” message from the Pope summarized the woes faced by the world today, whereby he insisted people of all nations find the courage to silence “to silence the sounds of arms and overcome divisions.”

Countries from the Middle East to Ukraine, Africa and Asia according to the address, are thick in the midst of strife and chaos of untold magnitude, an issue that needs to be tackled urgently. As 2025 begins, the message served as a reminder dedicated to hope and a broader reconciliation “even (with) our enemies.” The holy door of St. Basilica representing God’s mercy was opened by Pope Francis on Christmas, calling to “untie(s) every knot; it tears down every wall of division; it dispels hatred and the spirit of revenge.”

Pope Francis expresses concern

Pope Francis shared his grave concern over issues bogging humanity by saying “I invite every individual, and all people of all nations … to become pilgrims of hope, to silence the sounds of arms and overcome divisions.” Citing a grim scenario on the outbreak of Measles in the Democratic Republic of Congo, he added that children were suffering from war and hunger.

He also remembered the elderly living in solitude, the people fleeing their homelands in Myanmar and elsewhere, having lost their livelihoods just because they belong to another faith other than the majority who persecute them.

In the same vein, Pope Francis also implored upon the release of Israeli hostages taken by Hamas in 2023 on October 7. Insisting the Christian communities in Israel and the Palestinian territories on their greater responsibility to end the grave humanitarian crisis faced by the Gazans, the Pope further said to end the war in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Also, Lebanon and Syria were mentioned as facing critical times in terms of ongoing extreme conflicts.

The Holy Door at the entrance of St. Peter’s Basilica opens up a once-every-quarter-century, intended to let the Pilgrims walk through it. Around 32 million Catholics are hoping to arrive at Rome to attend Christmas Day and passing through the Holy Door is supposed to forgive their sins. The tradition has been held since 1300 the pilgrims have to pass through the security controls before gaining entry through the holy door.

Security beefed up after Germany incident

Since a dastardly attack on a Christmas market in Germany, precautions were taken to tighten up the security. Pilgrims made a cross sign upon entering the Basilica’s holy door after touching it. The holy spot is dedicated to St. Peter who founded the Roman Catholic Church.

Blanca Martin from San Diego expressed herself by saying, “It’s almost like a release of emotions, you feel like now you are able to let go and put everything in the hands of God. See I am getting emotional. It’s just a beautiful experience. You feel so humble when you go through the door that once you go through, it is almost like a release, a release of emotions.”

A remarkable coincidence happened this year when Judaism’s eight-day Festival of Lights, Hannukah was celebrated along with Christmas. Since 1900, this kind of event has happened only four times prompting many religious leaders to conduct interfaith gatherings. In Houston, Texas, both Latino and Jewish communities gathered to attend the get-togethers over the traditional feast of potato pancakes, and latkes.

These gatherings are uncommon, inasmuch as the Gregorian calendars differ from the Jewish ones owing to the lunar cycles, the latter follows. Chrismukkah or the conjoining of Hannukah and Christmas happened in 2005. Being celebrated in the backdrop of war in the Middle East and the growing incidents of antisemitism, according to the rabbis, Hannukah however, is quite a festive occasion.

In Iraq, the Christian community celebrated the occasion at the Mar Georgis church in the center of Telaskaf, Iraq. The community has dwindled since 2003, when the US attacked Iraq and again in 2014 when Islamic Militants controlled the region, numbering about a probable hundred thousand. If anything, but persistence is what has got them going despite the uncertainty and chaos surrounding them.

They have been present in the area since the times of Christ and constituted a big minority of 1.4 million souls once, a number thought to be dwindling since. In the Nineveh plains, the Christmas mass was attended by them while being extremely concerned about their unknown future. Bayda Nadhim, a resident of Telaskaf said, “We feel that they will pull the rug out from under our feet at any time. Our fate is unknown here.”

In Germany, the celebrations were somewhat muted due to the attack on the Christmas market at Magdeburg on Friday. The toll included the death of a nine-year-old boy apart from four others and 200 injured. In a statement, German President Frank-Walter said “There is grief, pain, horror and incomprehension over what took place in Magdeburg.” The statement came as an add-on to his earlier recorded Christmas Day speech where he implored the people to stand together and also that “hate and violence must not have the last word.”

A former Muslim suspect supporting anti-Islamic themes has been arrested on the basis of a Twitter post. He is a 50-year-old Doctor hailing from Saudi Arabia who has been practicing Medicine since 2006 in Germany and has been in the news for suspicions regarding murder, attempted murder and bodily harm. In his Twitter posts, he lambasted the authorities for their failure in controlling the menace of “the Islamification of Germany.” Also, he has supported the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfG) party.