Top menu

International Appeal for a Christmas Truce in Ukraine like 1914

Let us call for a ceasefire in Ukraine for Christmas 2022/2023, from the 25 December to the 7 January, as a sign of our shared humanity, reconciliation, and peace.

Let us call for a ceasefire in Ukraine for Christmas 2022/2023, from the 25 December to the 7 January, as a sign of our shared humanity, reconciliation, and peace. 

The Christmas Truce of 1914 in the midst of World War I was a symbol of hope and courage, when the people of warring countries organized an armistice on their own authority and joined in spontaneous reconciliation and fraternization. This was proof that even during the most violent conflicts, in the words of Pope Benedict XV, “the guns may fall silent at least upon the night the angels sang”. 

We turn to the leaders of the warring parties: let the weapons be silent. Give people a moment of peace and, through this moment, open the way to negotiations. 

Read more