Pope Francis has asked Catholics to tone down Christmas spending and emphasise charity this Christmas.
During his general audience today, the Holy Father called for ‘more humble’ Christmas celebrations, highlighting helping people of Ukraine as a financial alternative.
Pope Francis said that ‘it is good to celebrate Christmas, to have parties, but let’s lower the level of Christmas spending.’
“Let’s send what we save to the Ukrainian people, who are in need, suffering so much; they go hungry, they feel the cold, and so many die because there are no doctors, nurses at hand.”
“Let’s have a more humble Christmas, with more humble gifts,” he said.
The Holy Father encouraged Catholics to spiritually prepare for Christmas and that when they are celebrating they should do so ‘with Ukrainians in our hearts’.