VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis on Wednesday called on people to spend less on Christmas presents and celebrations, and donate the money saved to those in war-ravaged Ukraine.
"It is nice to celebrate Christmas. But let's lower the level of Christmas spending a bit," Francis said in his weekly general audience at the Vatican.
"Let's have a more humble Christmas, with more humble gifts. Let's send what we save to the Ukrainian people, who need it," he said.
Nearly 10 months into the war, hardship from the fighting has compounded as winter sets in and Russia pounds Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
Missile strikes have been crippling -- resulting in the periodic loss of electricity, heating, water and phone service across swathes of Ukraine.
This photograph taken on Tuesday shows a destroyed tank on the outskirts of the village of Kamyanka near Izyum, Kharkiv region, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Photo: AFP)
The Ukrainians "are suffering so much. They are hungry, cold. So many people are dying because there are no doctors or nurses," the pope said.
On Tuesday, Ukraine's Western allies pledged an additional €1 billion (US$1.1 billion) in emergency winter aid to help the country withstand Russia's onslaught.
The monument to Prince Volodymy, dedicated to the Grand Prince of Kyiv Volodymyr the Great, is seen in front of the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv during a partial blackout on Tuesday, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Photo: AFP)