Pope Francis: May Armenia and Azerbaijan draw closer to a definitive peace

At noon on December 25, Pope Francis offered his traditional good wishes on this Christmas Day with a message followed by his solemn “Urbi et Orbi” blessing to the city and the world, Vatican News reports.

The Pope noted in particular: “May Armenia and Azerbaijan draw closer to a definitive peace, he prayed, especially through humanitarian outreach and the return of refugees to their homes in security and with respect for religious traditions and places of worship.”

The Pope also prayed for an end to the war devastating the lives of people in Israel and Palestine. He offered his consolation to the people of Gaza and the entire region and in particular the Christian communities.