Pilgrims lined up to walk through the great Holy Door at the entrance of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome as Christmas marks the start of the 2025 Holy Year celebration.

Pope Francis kicked off the 2025 Holy Year on Tuesday, inaugurating a celebration of the Catholic Church that is expected to draw some 32 million pilgrims to Rome in a test of the pope's stamina and the ability of the Eternal City to welcome them.

The pope opened the Jubilee Holy Doors praying that the Holy Spirit would soften hearts so that "enemies may speak to each other again."

Pope Francis kicked off the 2025 Holy Year on Tuesday, inaugurating a celebration of the Catholic Church that is expected to draw some 32 million pilgrims to Rome in a test of the pope's stamina and the ability of the Eternal City to welcome them.

Pope Francis in his traditional Christmas message has urged “all people of all nations” to find courage during this Holy Year “to silence the sounds of arms and overcome divisions” plaguing the world,

Christmas message, Pope Francis urged the world to “silence the sound of arms" and find reconciliation, “even (with) our enemies."

In his traditional Christmas message on 25 December, Pope Francis mentioned the war in Ukraine, calling for an end to it and for negotiations for a just peace. Source: European Pravda Details: Pope Francis devoted two sentences of his Christmas message to the mention of Russia's full-scale aggression against Ukraine.

Visitors tour the 41st annual Deacon Dave’s Christmas display at Casa del Pomba in Livermore, Calif., on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024. The Deacon Dave Rezendes’s world-famous home features more than 900,000 lights glowing around his property. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

Pope Francis called for cease-fires for the conflicts in Ukraine and in the Middle East during his Christmas message in St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City.

Joe Biden has said he does not regret debating Trump in June, an appearance that created a slow bleed in his support among Democrats and ended with his ouster.

Pope Francis in his traditional Christmas message on Wednesday urged “all people of all nations” to find courage during this Holy Year “to silence the sounds of arms and overcome divisions” plaguing the world,