God's message of peace is stronger than darkness and corruption

At the Christmas Eve evening mass in St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, attended by thousands of faithful, Pope Francis urged them to allow God into their lives and help them fight against darkness and corruption, reports the Patria News Agency.

In his homily, the Pope said that Christmas is a time to remember that God's message of peace is stronger than darkness and corruption.

"The question that the newborn Son of God asks us is 'Do I allow God to love me?'. Do we have the courage to tenderly accept those close to us who are facing difficulties and problems, and how much the world today needs tenderness," said the head of the Catholic Church.

The Pope warned about the problem of indifference towards others, when everyone thinks only of themselves, and the lack of warmth in human relationships.

Before the mass in St. Peter's Basilica, Pope Francis telephoned Christian refugees in a camp in northern Iraq, near Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, on Wednesday. Thousands have taken refuge there this year from the persecution of Islamic State militants.

"You are like Jesus on the night of his birth, forced to flee. You are like Jesus in that situation, and that means we pray for you even more fervently. Dear brothers, I am with you with all my heart. May the Lord grant you gentleness," the Pope said in a telephone conversation that was broadcast live by Italian Catholic media.

Today, on Christmas Day, Pope Francis will deliver his Christmas message "Urbi et Orbi" from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica to tens of thousands of faithful in St. Peter's Square in the Vatican.