In his first "Urbi et Orbi", pope Francis (77) on December 25 dwelled on the theme of peace and social harmony. He urged that everyone should strive to be personal peacemakers.
Addressing the faithful and followers from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, Pope Francis also appealed for saving the environment. According to Francis, environment is to be saved from human greed.
Pope Francis also decried wars and armed conflicts saying that such acts shatter and hurt so many lives. He was of the view that in wars, the most vulnerable victims were children, elderly, battered women and the sick. In his address, Pope Francis asked God to "look upon the many children who are kidnapped, wounded and killed in armed conflicts, and all those who are robbed of their childhood and forced to become soldiers."
"God is peace: let us ask him to help us to be peacemakers each day, in our life, in our families, in our cities and nations, in the whole world," he said. He stressed the need for the Church to focus more on the poor and being more austere. He also appealed for a dignified life for migrants and strives to end human trafficking which is a crime against humanity"