Overview
- The pontiff renewed his call for a 24‑hour worldwide halt to hostilities on Christmas, appealing to all people of good will.
- He said Russia had refused a proposed Christmas truce, referencing recent strikes on Ukraine.
- After speaking with a priest in Gaza, he pointed to the territory’s precarious conditions and voiced hope for progress on a peace agreement.
- He celebrated his first Midnight Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica with a message of humanity and peace as thousands followed the service in the rain.
- He criticized Illinois’s newly signed euthanasia law, saying he raised the issue with the governor and was very disappointed by the decision.