- Pope Francis spoke from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica
- Tens of thousands of tourists gathered to hear him speak
- He called for peace in the land of Jesus' birth, Syria and Africa
Pope Francis today called for peace in the land of Jesus' birth, Syria and Africa, as well as for the dignity of migrants and refugees fleeing misery and conflict.
Francis spoke from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica on Christmas Day to tens of thousands of tourists, pilgrims and Romans in the square below.
He said he was joining in the song of Christmas angels with all those hoping 'for a better world', and with those who 'care for others, humbly'.
Christmas Day message: Pope Francis delivers his traditional Christmas 'Urbi et Orbi' blessing from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica
Greetings: Pope Francis waves as he delivers a 'Urbi et Orbi' - to the city and world - message from the basilica's balcony overlooking St. Peter's Square at the Vatican
Time for peace: Pope Francis called for a better world, with peace for the land of Jesus' birth, for Syria and Africa
Pope Francis waves to the thousands of tourists and Christians who gathered in St. Peter's Square to hear his Christmas Day message
Among places ravaged by conflict, Francis singled out Syria, South Sudan, the Central African Republic, Nigeria and Iraq. He also prayed for fruitful peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians.
He said: 'True peace is not a balance of opposing forces. It is not a lovely 'façade' which conceals conflicts and divisions. Peace calls for daily commitment, starting from God's gift, from the grace which he has given us in Jesus Christ.
'Looking at the Child in the manger, our thoughts turn to those children who are the most vulnerable victims of wars, but we think too of the elderly, to battered women, to the sick. Wars shatter and hurt so many lives.
'Too many lives have been shattered in recent times by the conflict in Syria, fueling hatred and vengeance. Let us continue to ask the Lord to spare the beloved Syrian people further suffering, and to enable the parties in conflict to put an end to all violence and guarantee access to humanitarian aid.'
He then went on to talk about the conflicts in Africa, saying: 'Grant peace to the Central African Republic, often forgotten and overlooked. Yet you, Lord, forget no one! And you also want to bring peace to that land, torn apart by a spiral of violence and poverty, where so many people are homeless, lacking water, food and the bare necessities of life. Foster social harmony in South Sudan, where current tensions have already caused numerous victims and are threatening peaceful coexistence in that young state.
Pope Francis wears the red stole as he delivers his 'Urbi et Orbi' message which also called for the dignity of migrants and refugees fleeing misery and conflict
Pope Francis makes a blessing as he delivers his first 'Urbi et Orbi' (to the city and world) message from the balcony overlooking St. Peter's Square
Pope Francis pictured after delivering his first Urbi et Orbi (to the city and to the world) Christmas message since his election nine months ago
He also spoke of the victims of natural disasters, highlighting those affected by the recent typhoon in the Philippines.
It comes as pilgrims from around the world celebrated Christmas Day in the ancient Bethlehem church where tradition holds Jesus was born, as candles illuminated the sacred site and the joyous sound of prayer filled its overflowing halls.
This year's turnout has been the largest in years in Bethlehem and the celebrations have been marked by careful optimism amid ongoing Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
Leaders expressed hope that the coming year would finally bring the Palestinians an independent state of their own.
The top Roman Catholic cleric in the Holy Land, Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal, led a prayer for some 1,000 worshippers as bells rang and tourists from around the world flocked to the fourth-century Church of the Nativity complex to see the grotto that is Jesus' traditional birthplace.
Pope Francis is flanked by Vatican Master of Ceremonies, Mons. Guido Marini, as he kisses the stole after delivering his 'Urbi et Orbi' message
The Pope called for dialogue to end the conflict in South Sudan and all wars, saying everyone should strive to be personal peacemakers
Swiss guards take position at St Peter's square before Pope Francis' traditional Christmas 'Urbi et Orbi' blessing from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica
'The whole world now is looking at Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus,' Twal said in his annual address. Bethlehem lies 10 kilometers (6 miles) south of Jerusalem. Entry to the city is controlled by Israel, which occupied the West Bank in 1967.
Following a Palestinian uprising that began in 2000, the numbers of visitors to Bethlehem had plunged, including for Christmas.
But thanks to a period of relative calm, they have been steadily climbing in recent years - and while still below the record levels of the 1990s, got an extra push this year following the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
Iskandar Salameh, an 18-year-old Palestinian, said the Christmas spirit was uniting those gathered Wednesday.
'We all feel that Jesus is with us today,' he said.
Later, Pope Francis will deliver his first Christmas message as pontiff from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica to pilgrims, tourists and Romans gathered in the piazza below.
Pope Francis carries a statue of baby Jesus as he celebrates the Christmas Eve Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican
Thousands of tourists have descended on Vatican city for the Christmas celebrations this year
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