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Pope Francis urges aid access to Syria in Christmas speech | |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Pope Francis has used his first Christmas Day address to urge access for humanitarian aid in Syria. | |
He told thousands of pilgrims in St Peter's Square in the Vatican to pray for a peaceful end to violence in Syria and other conflict zones. | |
The Argentine pope also said tragic incidents involving migrants trying to reach Europe should not be repeated. | |
Christians around the world are celebrating Christmas, which marks the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem. | Christians around the world are celebrating Christmas, which marks the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem. |
It was the third successive year that the Syrian conflict had been a main focus of the Christmas speech, one of the addresses known as Urbi et Orbi. | |
The Pope said too many lives had been lost in Syria, and urged all parties to bring an end to violence and allow humanitarian relief. | |
He also highlighted violence in Central African Republic. | |
Pope Francis called it an "often forgotten and overlooked" conflict in a country "torn apart by a spiral of violence and poverty". | |
On Tuesday evening thousands gathered in Bethlehem's Manger Square for Christmas Eve celebrations. | On Tuesday evening thousands gathered in Bethlehem's Manger Square for Christmas Eve celebrations. |
The nearby Church of the Nativity sits on the spot where Jesus is said to have been born. | The nearby Church of the Nativity sits on the spot where Jesus is said to have been born. |
Correspondents said it was the biggest crowd to attend the event in years. | Correspondents said it was the biggest crowd to attend the event in years. |
Latin Patriarch Archbishop Fouad Twal, the most senior Roman Catholic cleric in the Holy Land, called on the crowd to be "brothers with each other". | Latin Patriarch Archbishop Fouad Twal, the most senior Roman Catholic cleric in the Holy Land, called on the crowd to be "brothers with each other". |
Pope Francis celebrated his first Christmas Eve Mass since becoming pontiff at St Peter's Basilica. | Pope Francis celebrated his first Christmas Eve Mass since becoming pontiff at St Peter's Basilica. |
In a short homily, Francis said that every Christian can choose between darkness and light, between love and hate. | In a short homily, Francis said that every Christian can choose between darkness and light, between love and hate. |