Pope Francis condemned brutal persecution of those belonging to other ethnic and religious groups in his traditional Christmas Day message .

Pope spoke about the sufferings and troubles in the modern world, persecution of Christians in the Middle East, necessity to restore peace in Ukraine, on the parts of the African continent, as well as peace between Israelis and Palestinians on the land blessed by the birth of Jesus

“May the power of Christ, which brings freedom and service, be felt in so many hearts afflicted by war, persecution and slavery.  May this divine power, by its meekness, take away the hardness of heart of so many men and women immersed in worldliness and indifference, the globalization of indifference,” he said.