VATICAN: Pope Francis proves his popularity as he marks Christmas Day with peace speech

Record ID: 740819

  • Title: VATICAN: Pope Francis proves his popularity as he marks Christmas Day with peace speech
  • Date: 25th December 2013
  • Summary: VATICAN (DECEMBER 25, 2013) (REUTERS) CROWDS ARRIVING IN ST. PETER'S SQUARE FOR POPE'S URBI ET ORBI MESSAGE POLICE AMONG CROWDS STATUES AND VATICAN CHRISTMAS TREE MARCHING BAND VARIOUS OF PEOPLE TAKING PHOTOS YOUNG CHILD WAVING PEOPLE IN ST. PETER'S SQUARE (SOUNDBITE) (English) MARGARET BOLTEN SAYING: "Every pope speaks the peace in the world but it never happens, does it
  • Embargoed: 9th January 2014 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Vatican City State
  • Country: Vatican City State
  • Topics: People,Religion
  • Reuters ID: LVABSY9QFUG5MCCLZRCVUSSMQ4XX
  • Story Text: Large crowds flocked to the Vatican on Wednesday (December 25) to hear the pope's first Christmas Day message.
    Speaking to about 70,000 people from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, the same spot where he emerged to the world as pope when he was elected on March 13, Pope Francis called on atheists to unite with believers of all religions and work for "a homemade peace" that could spread across the world.
    The head of the 1.2 billion-member Roman Catholic Church built his first "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and world) message around the theme of peace.
    He called for the end of conflicts in Syria, South Sudan, Iraq and the Middle East.
    "Every pope speaks the peace in the world but it never happens, does it? It's one of those on-going things, we've always had wars, we'll always have wars. But he is a nice pope and he is right to speak about peace, of course he is," said Margaret Bolten.
    Pilgrims came from all over the world for Christmas at the Vatican and some said it was because they felt Francis had brought a breath of fresh air to the Church.
    "He is awesome. No but he is really holy and he is a good example to all of us, we are all seminarians from Queensland, representing Australia," said Arobe Imperial, a young Australian seminarian.
    Francis's humble, down-to-earth style has helped boost his popularity.
    "I think he is more with the people and likes to talk to everybody and that's a good thing," said Finnish tourist Heikki Nevalainen "I think it's his humbleness, the fact that he is so close to all of us and that makes it feel like he is one of us," Manila Furlan, a visitor from Venice, said.
    Francis's reaching out to atheists and people who belong to no religion is a marked contrast to the attitude of former Pope Benedict, who sometimes left non-Catholics feeling that he saw them as second-class believers.
    Francis is celebrating his first Christmas as Roman Catholic leader.
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