Speaking over giant screens from Santa Marta, the pontiff blessed the “Bambinelli” and expressed words of sorrow for Gaza in St Peter's Square. “So much cruelty, children machine-gunned,” he lamented. This morning Patriarch Pizzaballa reached the Parish of the Holy Family after he was stopped yesterday. In his Gospel commentary about the gift of life, Francis stressed that “No child is a mistake.”

Vatican City (AsiaNews) – Pope Francis delivered today’s Angelus from the chapel of Casa Santa Marta due to a recent cold, speaking to the faithful and pilgrims in St Peter's Square over giant screens.

In addition to the traditional blessing of the "Bambinelli" before Christmas and the commentary on the Gospel of the day about Mary's visit to Elizabeth and the "gift of life", the pontiff also issued a new appeal for peace in the world using unequivocal words about “so much cruelty” in Gaza. Today’s address follows yesterday’s traditional exchange of greetings with Vatican employees.

“I am sorry not to be with you in the Square, but I am getting better and precautions must be taken,” he said. “And with sorrow I think of Gaza, of so much cruelty; of the children machine-gunned, the bombing of schools and hospitals... So much cruelty!” he added.

Yesterday, during the traditional meeting with the employees of the Holy See, the Governorate of the Vatican City State and the Vicariate of Rome, for Christmas greetings, he cited Card Giovanni Battista Re, who emphasised the presence of "wars" and "inhumanity" of our time.

“Yesterday the [Latin] Patriarch [of Jerusalem] was not allowed into Gaza, as had been promised; and yesterday children were bombed,” reported the Vatican Press Office.

Today the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem announced that Card Pierbattista Pizzaballa finally made it to Gaza this morning, travelling to the Parish of the Holy Family for a visit of solidarity and the celebration of the Nativity of the Lord.

Speaking from Santa Marta, Francis also mentioned “Tormented Ukraine,” which “continues to be struck by attacks against the city, which at times damage schools, hospitals, and churches.” Such painful and deadly attacks are even more unacceptable as 25 December approaches.

“May the weapons be silenced and Christmas carols resound! Let us pray for a ceasefire on all war fronts, in Ukraine, the Holy Land, in all the Middle East and the entire world,” the pontiff said.

Francis also turned his thoughts to Mozambique. “I wish to reiterate my message of hope, peace and reconciliation to that beloved people. I pray that dialogue and the quest for the common good, supported by faith and good will, may prevail over mistrust and discord.”

Following a tradition that began in 1969 with Pope Paul VI, Francis blessed the “Bambinelli”, the statuettes of the Infant Jesus brought to the square, especially by children and young people from Rome.

“We will soon bless the ‘Bambinelli’,” he said during his commentary before the Marian prayer. “I have brought mine: this one was given to me by the Archbishop of Santa Fé; it was made by native Ecuadorian people”.

“The statuettes of the Infant Jesus that you [. . .] have brought here and which then, returning home, you will put in the Nativity scene. I thank you for this simple but important gesture. I heartily bless all of you, your parents, your grandparents, your families! And please, do not forget your grandparents! May no-one remain alone during these days,” he said after the Angelus, emphasising the importance of relationships.

At the start of his commentary, the pope spoke about Mary's visit to Elizabeth, a symbolic union between Old and New Testaments in the Gospel according to Luke (Lk 1:39-45), noting that it was “the meeting of two women rejoicing at the extraordinary gift of motherhood”.

The joy that both experienced might, however, seem far from the experience of many others; yet, “The message the Evangelist wants to give us, a few days before Christmas, is [. . .] different,” suggesting God’s presence and love “in the gift of every life, of every child, of his or her mother.”

Bringing attention to the mothers and mothers-to-be present in St. Peter's, he said: “No child is a mistake. [. . .] Please, let us not remain indifferent to their presence: let us learn to marvel at their beauty”.

“Brothers and sisters,” Francis told the crowd, “in these days we like to create a festive atmosphere with lights, decorations and Christmas music. Let us remember, though, to express feelings of joy every time we encounter a mother who is carrying a child in her arms or in her womb.”

In concluding, the pontiff raised a few questions whose answers can help understand the personal relationship with the "gift of life".

“I thank the Lord because He made Himself a man like us, to share in all of our existence, apart from sin? Do I praise the Lord and bless Him for every child who is born? When I encounter an expectant mother, am I kind to her? Do I support and defend the sacred value of the life of the little ones ever since their conception in the maternal womb?”

• vatican
• pope francis
• angelus
• christmas
• bambinelli
• motherhood
• wars
• gaza
• ukraine
• mozambique