Overview
- He renewed a call for a 24‑hour global truce for Christmas and said Russia seems to have rejected the request.
- Ukrainian sources reported more than 650 drones and dozens of missiles striking at least 13 regions overnight Dec. 23–24, causing deaths, injuries and widespread power outages.
- A fragile ceasefire in Gaza enabled festive Christmas worship to return to Bethlehem, even as the Pope highlighted Gaza’s displaced facing winter weather in tents.
- Roughly 6,000 worshippers filled St. Peter’s Basilica and about 5,000 stood on the rain‑soaked square for his first Christmas Mass and the day Mass.
- In his homily and Urbi et Orbi he condemned war’s “open wounds” and an economy that treats people as merchandise, closing with greetings in ten languages.