VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis emphasized the fraternity among the world's nations and cultures during his annual Christmas message.
A crowd of 50,000 tourists, pilgrims and Romans flocked to St. Peter's Square to hear the Christmas Day blessing from the pope, The Associated Press reported.
“Our differences, then, are not a detriment or a danger; they are a source of richness,” Francis said.
Francis said the universal message of Christmas is that “God is a good father and we are all brothers and sisters.”
Francis prayed for "all those people who experience ideological, cultural and economic forms of colonization and see their freedom and identity compromised." He urged those in power to end the war in Syria and reach a truce in Yemen, the AP reported. Francis also encouraged dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.