A somber Pope Francis steeped his Christmas message to the world in sadness for those with little cause for joy — abused children, refugees, hostages and others suffering from violence in the Middle East, Africa, Ukraine and elsewhere. 'Truly there are so many tears this Christmas, said Francis, looking solemn and smiling little, to a crowd, estimated by the Vatican to number more than 80,000 Romans, tourists and pilgrims, filled St. Peter's Square for his 'Urbi et Orbi' message (Latin for 'to the city and to the world'). Anguish for children who suffer maltreatment or violence, including in the recent terrorist attack on a Pakistani military school, tempered the pontiff's traditional Christmas Day speech, which he delivered from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica.
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Pope Francis delivered Christmas Day speech to more than 80,000 from balcony overlooking St Peter's Square
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Expressed his sadness for abused children, refugees, hostages and others suffering from violence in the world
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Lamented that many children are 'made objects of trade and trafficking' or forced to become soldiers
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'I think also of those infants massacred in bomb attacks, also those where the Son of God was born,' he said
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Pope celebrated Christmas Eve with a late-night Mass in St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican
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Earlier, he called refugees in Iraq saying they too were like Jesus as they had also been forced to flee their homes
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