He made the remarks a day after the start of the Roman Catholic Church’s Holy Year, known as a Jubilee, which takes place every quarter century. On Tuesday evening, Francis opened the Holy Door in St. Peter’s Basilica so that the first pilgrims could go through. Millions more are expected to follow over the year.

Christmas message, Pope Francis urged the world to “silence the sound of arms" and find reconciliation, “even (with) our enemies."

Pope Francis in his traditional Christmas message on Wednesday urged “all people of all nations” to find courage during this Holy Year “to silence the sounds of arms and overcome divisions” plaguing the world,

Delivering his Christmas Day message overlooking crowds of thousands of international pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square from the Central Loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica, the pope insisted that a “just and lasting peace” can only be achieved in our world if people first turn to the “Father of Mercies.

Over 35 million pilgrims are expected to visit Rome in 2025 seeking forgiveness of sins and a chance to see the pope.

Pilgrims lined up early Wednesday to walk through the great Holy Door at the entrance of St. Peter’s Basilica, as Christmas marked the start of the 2025 Holy Year celebration that is expected to bring some 32 million Catholic faithful to Rome.

Pope Francis called for cease-fires for the conflicts in Ukraine and in the Middle East during his Christmas message in St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City.

Pope Francis has told Vatican bureaucrats to stop speaking ill of one another, calling gossip "an evil that destroys social life."

Pope Francis is expected to address the world's wars and conflicts in his traditional "Urbi et Orbi" message to the faithful spoken from the balcony of St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican at noon on Wednesday,

At the start of the 2025 Holy Year celebration he dedicated to hope, Francis called for broad reconciliation “even (with) our enemies.”

Pope Francis in his traditional Christmas message urges everyone to find courage 'to silence the sounds of arms and overcome divisions' plaguing the world.