The pope inaugurated the Catholic Church's historic 2025 Jubilee of "Hope" on Christmas Eve at the Vatican in traditional ceremonies before he addressed thousands of Catholic faithful.

Ukrainian artist Yama Tarhonia has presented Pope Francis with a blue and yellow dove of peace made from a piece of stained glass from the Church of St Nicholas in Kyiv, which was damaged in a Russian attack on 20024.

Ukraine said Russia had attacked it with 60 drones overnight, of which 36 were downed, 23 were jammed by electronic warfare and one was still in the air.

Pope Francis is set to open the Holy Year of the Catholic Church in St Peter’s Basilica on Tuesday evening. The 88-year-old pontiff in a solemn ceremony

The papal point man for charity, Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, opened a soup kitchen in Fastiv, in Ukraine's Kyiv region, Dec. 23 and was heading east to Kharkiv to spend Christmas "in the city where Russian bombs fell first and the war started" on Feb.

Pope Francis called for a ceasefire on all war fronts in his Angelus prayer on Sunday, condemning the "cruelty" of bombing schools and hospitals in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip. "Let the weapons fall silent and let the Christmas carols ring out!

On the Sunday before Christmas, Pope Francis remembered Ukraine, reports Vatican News. During his prayer, he called on the world to make a “Christmas truce.” “Tormented Ukraine continues to be struck by attacks against the city,

Pope Francis on Sunday lamented the ongoing war and violence affecting families in Gaza and other parts of the world in the lead-up to Christmas and called for a “ceasefire on all war fronts.”

Pope Francis called for a ceasefire in all war zones in his Sunday prayer on Christmas Eve, condemning the cruelty of bombing schools and hospitals in Ukraine and Gaza. Source: The Pope's speech was quoted by the AP news agency,

Pope Francis has called for a ceasefire on all war fronts in his Sunday prayer ahead of Christmas celebrations, condemning the “cruelty” of bombing schools and hospitals in Ukraine and Gaza

In late November, during a brief audience with people involved in the sport of motorcycle racing, Pope Francis asked for prayers, joking that "my work is very accelerated, and my bike has aged and doesn't work properly!

“The president thanked the pope for his continued advocacy to alleviate global suffering, including his work to advance human rights and protect religious freedoms,” the statement read. “President Biden also graciously accepted His Holiness Pope Francis’ invitation to visit the Vatican next month.”