By Adodo Osewengie
Pope Francis said crises and wars continue to flourish in certain regions because the key actors choose to reject dialogue.
This he stated on Saturday in his Christmas message at St Peter’s Basilica as it rained.
He noted that Christmas is a reflection of empathy to the needy and helpless, criticising Christians for accommodating the opposite towards their fellow humans on this significant day.
According to him, some countries are being torn apart by wars and crises which can ordinarily be settled through dialogue.
Listing Syria, Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Yemen, and Ukraine, and others as countries being ravaged by crises and wars, he revealed that lack of the willingness to come to roundtable discussions for compromise to end these disagreements have made women, children, and the elderly the victims.
Pope Francis stressed that the promoters of these disagreements tend not to hear the cry of the victims of these crises and wars.
He interceded on behalf of the victims of wars praying to God to restore peace in these crisis-prone regions.
Furthermore, the traditional “Urbi et Orbi’’ (To the city and the world) was offered by the Pope whilst blessing and wishing Christians a Merry Christmas.
