Pope Francis has strongly defended refugees at his Christmas Eve mass, urging the world not to ignore the plight of people who are “driven from their land” because of leaders willing to shed “innocent blood”.

The leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Roman Catholics on Sunday led a solemn ceremony for about 10,000 people in St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, while many others followed the service from the square outside.

In his homily, Francis likened refugees to Mary and Joseph finding no place to stay in Bethlehem and said faith demands that foreigners be welcomed.

“So many other footsteps are hidden in the footsteps of Joseph and Mary,” said the Argentine pontiff, himself the grandson of Italian migrants.

“We see the tracks of entire families forced to set out in our own day. We see the tracks of millions of persons who do not choose to go away, but driven from their land, leave behind their dear ones.”

Many engulfed in the ongoing migration crisis were forced to flee from leaders “who, to impose their power and increase their wealth, see no problem in shedding innocent blood”, said the 81-year-old.

The pope also condemned human traffickers who make money off desperate refugees as the “Herods of today” with blood on their hands, a reference to the Biblical story of the king who ordered the killing of all newborn male children near Bethlehem because he feared Jesus would one day displace him.

The pope’s Plea directly plays into the Southern Cameroons situation where Denizens In Manyu have abandoned their land and are now in neighbouring Nigeria running oppression from the tyranny of Paul Biya and his Forces. The regime of Paul Biya since September 22nd, 2017 has taken more than 500 lives of Southern Cameroonians. We hope the message brings comfort into refugees all over the world and most especially Southern Cameroonians in Nigeria.

 

SOURCE: AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES with contributions from BaretaNews