Pope Francis On the Balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome

Pope Francis, In his traditional message “Urbi et Orbi” Pope Francis spoke of the plight of the 150,000 Iraqi Christians have fled the Islamic State group.

The pope on Thursday denounced the “brutal persecution” jihadists in Iraq, Syria and elsewhere in the world, Nigeria, Pakistan, lamenting in his Christmas blessing violence against children within “such indifference.”
Appearing agitated and indignant, François celebrated Christmas by sending the message “Urbi et Orbi” (“to the city and the world”), 1.2 billion Catholics, amid wars and religious fundamentalism.

Without the quote, the Argentine Pope focused on the abuses of the organization Islamic state (EI): “Our brothers and sisters in Iraq and Syria, for too long, suffering the effects of the ongoing conflict and with those who belong to other ethnic and religious groups, undergo brutal persecution, “he noted.

In the message broadcast by television stations around the world, he spoke of “the many people dispersed, displaced and refugee children, adults and older people, the region and the world.” He asked that they “can receive the necessary humanitarian assistance” and “return to their country.”

Message particular with regard to some 150,000 displaced Iraqi Christians have fled EI, which had a sad Christmas, whether in Baghdad or in camps in Iraqi Kurdistan.

“There is no future here,” lamented the Christian Chaldean Ghassan clutching her seven year old son in her arms in a Baghdad classroom where he fled.

“What future will my children? What can guarantee they will stay alive? “He wondered.

The pope also wished “comfort to families of children killed in Pakistan last week,” referring to the more than 130 school children in Peshawar killed by a Taliban commando.

He urged “peace in Nigeria, where again the blood is shed and too many people are unfairly excluded from the affection of their relatives and held hostage and massacred” by a group too Islamist Boko Haram.

Two states of northeastern Nigeria have imposed severe restrictions on the movement, fearing attacks of the group during the Christmas holidays.

EXPLOITED CHILDREN “BEFORE OUR EYES”
This is the second Christmas of Pope Francis, who just turned 78 years and has gained a strong following, even among non-believers or members of other religions.

By a covered and warm weather, St. Peter’s Square was packed with people, and the crowd, estimated at 100,000 people, overflowed around.

The pope took the opportunity to launch a second strong message on children exploited in the world: “Too many children are abused and exploited in our own eyes and with our silent complicity,” said the pontiff virulently , in a hollow voice.

Away from the text circulated in advance, he referred to “the children killed in the bombing, including where was born the Son of God” (Holy Land) and “powerless silently crying by the sword “. He has appointed neither Israel nor the Palestinians to violence.

“What Jesus saves too many child victims of violence, trafficking objects and human trafficking or forced to become soldiers,” he urged.

Denouncing “indifference”, François also deplored children “killed before seeing the light” in an implicit condemnation of abortion.

An exhortation to negotiate in Ukraine, calls for dialogue in the Middle East, Libya, Central African Republic, South Sudan and DR Congo, completed the message “urbi et orbi”.

The Pope has finally demonstrated its solidarity with the victims of Ebola, an epidemic that has prevented or slowed the festivities, Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia.

A Monvoria the shopkeeper Isaax Chea, shows that since the end of civil wars in Liberia, which made from 1989 to 2003 some 250,000 dead, “this is the worst Christmas we’ve had.”

In Sierra Leone, public gatherings were banned, while containment of the North began. The gatherings are also prohibited in Conakry, capital of Guinea.

THE WORLD NEEDS TENDERNESS
On the night of Wednesday to Thursday, at the solemn “Midnight Mass” Francis had asked Catholics to respond to conflicts with “gentleness” and respond to the “need for tenderness” of people in need.

“As the world needs tenderness today!” Exclaimed the Argentine pope.

Christmas was celebrated all over the world. In China, a city of the East, Wenzhou, known for its large Christian community, forbade schools to celebrate this holiday too “Western”.

In Cuba, celebrations, long banned by the regime, took place in an atmosphere enlivened by an early gift: the rapprochement with the United States.