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.

Pilgrims lined up to walk through the great Holy Door at the entrance of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome as Christmas marks the start of the 2025 Holy Year celebration.

Pope Francis in his traditional Christmas message has 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,

Pope Francis, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, delivered the "Urbi et Orbi" Christmas message and blessing from the Vatican at noon local time.

The 88-year-old Pope Francis opened the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica before Mass on Christmas Eve, officially launching the Jubilee Year 2025.

Pope Francis in his Christmas message called for talks between Ukraine and Russia to end the war that followed Moscow's full-scale invasion two years ago.

On his wheelchair, Pope Francis began the celebration of Christmas by opening the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, kicking off the 2025 Holy Year. “The steps we now take are the steps of the whole church,” the pope said.

Pope Francis officially launched the Catholic Church’s 2025 Jubilee Year on Tuesday evening by opening the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica in a ceremony on Christmas Eve. The symbolic act began a year-long celebration,

In his Christmas Day "Urbi et Orbi", Francis called for "gestures of dialogue and encounter, in order to achieve a just and lasting peace".

May this be the last wartime Christmas, Cardinal Krajewski prays in Kharkiv, as he celebrated Mass in Ukraine amidst Russia's brutal attacks

Amid war and loss, Bethlehem marks a somber Christmas, with prayers for peace and resilience echoing through the Church of the Nativity and beyond