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Pope Francis asked in his Christmas message for nations to share Covid-19 vaccines, saying that walls of nationalism cannot be built to stop a pandemic that knows no borders.
In a sign of the times, the Pontiff delivered his traditional message “Urbi et Orbi” (to the city and the world) virtually from a lectern inside the Vatican rather than from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica before tens of thousands .
The pandemic and its social and economic effects dominated the message, in which he called for global unity and aid for nations suffering from conflicts and humanitarian crises.
“At this time in history, marked by the ecological crisis and the serious economic and social imbalances that have only been aggravated by the coronavirus pandemic, it is even more important that we recognize ourselves as brothers,” he said.
Emphasizing that health is an international issue, he appeared to criticize so-called “vaccine nationalism,” which UN officials fear will worsen the pandemic if poor nations receive the vaccine in the end.
“May the Son of God renew in political and governmental leaders a spirit of international cooperation, beginning with health care, so that everyone has guaranteed access to vaccines and treatment. Faced with a challenge that knows no borders, We cannot build walls. We are all in the same boat, “he said.
Italians are under a nationwide lockdown for much of the Christmas and New Years holiday period. The restrictions mean that people cannot go to St. Peter’s Square or the basilica for papal events, all of which have been moved indoors.
Pope Francis also called for peace and reconciliation in Syria, Yemen, Libya, Nagorno-Karabakh, South Sudan, Nigeria, Cameroon and Iraq, which he will visit in early March.
He also asked to comfort those suffering from humanitarian crises or natural disasters in Burkina Fasso, Mali, Niger, the Philippines and Vietnam.
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