Pope Francis delivers first Christmas Day address

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In his first Christmas as the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis used his “Urbi et Orbi” address to call for an end to the conflict in South Sudan and peace worldwide.

Atheists, work with us for peace, Pope says on Christmas
Philip Pullella, Reuters
December 25, 2013

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis, celebrating his first Christmas as Roman Catholic leader, on Wednesday called on atheists to unite with believers of all religions and work for “a homemade peace” that can spread across the world.

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, Francis also made another appeal for the environment to be saved from “human greed and rapacity.”

The leader of the 1.2 billion-member Church wove his first “Urbi et Orbi” (to the city and world) message around the theme of peace.

“Peace is a daily commitment. It is a homemade peace,” he said.

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