VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis offered a Christmas wish for fraternity among people of different nations, cultures, faiths, races or ideas, describing the world’s differences as a richness, not…
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis offered a Christmas wish for fraternity among people of different nations, cultures, faiths, races or ideas, describing the world’s differences as a richness, not a danger, and championing the rights of religious minorities.
His plea Tuesday for stronger bonds among peoples came as nationalism and a suspicion of migrants are gaining traction across much of the globe.
The long war in Syria, famine amid warfare in Yemen, social strife in Venezuela and Nicaragua, conflicts in Ukraine and tensions on the Korean Peninsula were among the pope’s concerns in his Christmas Day message, which he read from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica.
Addressing some 50,000 tourists, pilgrims and Romans who flocked to St. Peter’s Square on a mild, sunny day, Francis said the universal message of Christmas is that “God is a good Father and we are all brothers and sisters.
