Pope Francis has called for reconciliation among fractured communities in his annual Christmas Day homily, presiding over a congregation of thousands at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.
The pope made the comments in his traditional Urbi et Orbi message, or "to the city and to the world."
His message has global appeal in a year that saw the rise of the Islamic State group and a flood of outgoing refugees from the Middle East, sectarian conflict in Africa, terrorist attacks in western Europe and the United States, and humanitarian concerns in wealthy nations as refugees from violent conflict and economic distress sought safer, stabler places to live.
He called for resumption of peace in places of conflict such as Israel and the Palestinian territories, and asked that the people might live in harmony with one another.