Pope Francis celebrated the traditional Christmas Eve service at St. Peter’s Cathedral on Saturday, recalling the war in Ukraine and other conflicts, recalling that the level of greed and thirst for power is so great that some want to “eat even their neighbors.” Reuters reports.

Pope Francis, who is celebrating the 10th Christmas of his pontificate, led a solemn Christmas Eve service in St. Peter’s Cathedral. It was the first event of about 7,000 people in several years, when attendance was limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

About 4,000 more visited St. Peter’s Square outside on a relatively warm night.

As has happened in recent months, a knee ailment prevented the Sovereign Pontiff from standing for long, entrusting the cardinal to be the main priest at the altar of the largest church in Christendom.

Sitting on one side of the altar for most of the service, he centered his sermon around the theme of greed and consumption on various levels, asking people to look beyond the consumerism that “packages” the holiday, rediscover the meaning and remember it. who suffer from war and poverty.

“The men and women of our world, in their pursuit of wealth and power, even eat their neighbors, their brothers and sisters,” he said.

“How many wars have I seen! And how many even today treat human dignity and freedom with disdain!”

Pope Francis often mentioned the war in Ukraine

Since Russia invaded its neighbor in February, Pope Francis has railed against the war at nearly every public event, at least twice a week, condemning what he has called atrocities and unprovoked aggression.

On Saturday evening, he did not specifically mention Ukraine.

“As always, the main victims of this human greed are the weak and vulnerable,” he said, condemning “a world that is hungry for money, power and pleasure…”.

“I think especially of the children destroyed by war, poverty and injustice”, mentioning also “the unborn, poor and forgotten children”.

Drawing a parallel between the baby Jesus, born in a manger, and the poverty of our time, the Pope said: “In the manger of rejection and discomfort, God is present. He comes there because there we see the problem of our humanity: indifference. born of a greedy urge to possess and consume.”

Earlier this month, the Pope urged people to spend less on Christmas holidays and gifts, and to send the difference to Ukrainians to help them survive the winter.

The Pope turned 86 last week, and aside from an ailing knee, he appears to be in generally good health.

On Sunday, he is due to deliver his blessing and message of “Urbi et Orbi” (to the city and the world) from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to tens of thousands of people in the square.