VATICAN CITY, December 25. /TASS/. Pope Francis has called on Catholics on Christmas Eve to "open the door" to peace by laying down arms in Ukraine and the Middle East.

"Let us lay down our arms in Ukraine! May there be a strong will to open the door of negotiation, dialogue, and meetings to achieve a just peace. Let us lay down our arms in the Middle East. I turn my thoughts to the Christian communities in Israel and Palestine, especially in Gaza, where a terrible humanitarian crisis persists. Ceasefire, release the hostages, and provide aid to populations suffering from hunger and war," the pontiff said in his Christmas Urbi et Orbi address, also drawing attention to the situations in Syria, Lebanon, and Libya.

The day before, Pope Francis opened the Holy Door at St. Peter's Basilica to mark the start of the Catholic Church's jubilee year, which will be celebrated throughout 2025. "The door is open! Let us be reunited with the Lord <...>! Let us break down the walls that divide us, overcome hatred, and reject the spirit of revenge. Christ is the door to peace!" the Pope declared.

He also highlighted the suffering in other parts of the world, particularly in Africa, mentioning the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Mozambique. "May the infant Jesus inspire political leaders in the Americas to work toward social justice and truth, especially in Haiti, Colombia, Nicaragua, and Venezuela," he added.

"The Jubilee Year is an opportunity to break down walls - both the ideological ones that often shape politics and the physical ones that divide people, such as on the island of Cyprus," Francis said. "Passing through the gate symbolizes taking a step forward, leaving behind disputes and divisions. In the coming year, I urge every individual, every community, and every nation to have the courage to walk through this door of hope," the Pope proclaimed.