During Christmas Mass, the Pope denounces “the thirst for wealth and power” which leads men to “devour even their neighbors”
Without specifically mentioning the war in Ukraine, Pope Francis denounced Saturday, during the traditional Christmas mass, the greed and the thirst for power, which leads some to want “devour their neighbours”.
“The men and women of our world, in their thirst for wealth and power, devour even their neighbors, their brothers and sistersdid he declare. How many wars have we seen! And in how many places, even today, human dignity and freedom are treated with contempt! »
Since Russia invaded its neighbor in February, Francis has repeatedly denounced the atrocities of this war, which he described as unprovoked aggression.
For the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, where attendance had been restricted, some 7,000 people were able to attend mass inside St. Peter’s Basilica where Francis was celebrating the tenth Christmas of his pontificate. About 4,000 other people were also able to follow her outside in St. Peter’s Square on a relatively mild night.
Due to chronic knee pain that prevents him from standing for long, the pope has entrusted a cardinal with the task of carrying out most of the celebrations in front of the altar of the largest church in Christendom. Sitting at the side of the altar for most of the Mass, Francis denounced greed and consumerism, calling on believers to return to the source of the Christmas message, thinking of those who suffer from war and poverty.
“As always, the main victims of this human greed are the weak and the vulnerable”he said once more, denouncing “a world thirsty for money, power and pleasure…”. “I think above all of the children devoured by war, poverty and injustice”also mentioning “unborn children, poor and forgotten”.
