In his annual Christmas Day message from the Vatican, Pope Francis stated that the world is afflicted by a “famine of peace.”
He demanded an end to the “senseless war” in Ukraine and condemned the use of “food as a weapon” in the conflict.
Since the Russian invasion in February, wheat prices have skyrocketed in Ukraine, which exported around 30% of the world’s wheat.
It was his tenth Christmas Day address since assuming the papacy.
While the conflict in Ukraine dominated the majority of his 10-minute address, he also spoke of “a grave lack of peace in other regions and other theatres of this third world war.”
He highlighted hostilities and humanitarian problems in the Sahel region of Africa, Myanmar, Haiti, and the Middle East.
Additionally, the pontiff prayed for “reconciliation” in Iran, where widespread anti-government rallies have swept the country for more than three months. Human rights groups report that more than 500 people, including 69 children, have been killed in response to the protests.
The 86-year-old Pope, speaking from a balcony in the basilica overlooking St. Peter’s Square, mourned the human cost of war. He advised us not to overlook people “who are starving while enormous amounts of food are wasted daily and money is spent on weaponry.
“The war in Ukraine has exacerbated the situation, placing entire populations at risk of starvation, particularly in Afghanistan and the Horn of Africa,” he warned.
We are aware that every battle produces hunger and utilizes food as a weapon, impeding the provision of food to those who are already suffering.
The Pope stated that “those with political responsibility” should take the initiative to transform food into “a singular instrument of peace.”
His message was followed by the usual Urbi et Orbi (To the City and the World) blessing, recited in Latin and customarily in several other languages as well.
