Pope’s plea for peace

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Pope Benedict XVI has used his traditional Christmas day message in Rome to call for peace across the world.

Wishing the world a ‘Merry Christmas’ in 64 languages, the 81-year-old pontiff made a plea for peace in the Middle East, ahead of a planned trip to the region next year.

Addressing thousands in St Peter’s Square the pope also called for peace in the war-torn African region of Darfur in Sudan, as well as pleading for an end to the violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

During the message, the head of the world’s 1.1 billion Catholics also appealed for solidarity in the face of the global economic crisis.

tags: Christmas