Peace, today, is based on fear that the friendship; is defended by the fear of deadly weapons that a mutual alliance and trust among the peoples! And if peace were, God forbid, tomorrow interrupted, the bane of all humanity is possible.

How can we celebrate a peaceful Christmas with this threat hanging over the fate of the world?

Therefore Our hope becomes pressing prayer to all people of good will, yes, to all people responsible in the field of culture and politics to act as the fundamental problem of peace.

Of true peace, not of that exalted by a hypocritical propaganda to lull the opponent and hide their war preparation; not that cowardly and rhetoric, which shuns essential, patients, exhausting, but only effective negotiations; not only that based on the precarious balance of conflicting economic interests, or the dream of proud hegemonies.

About true peace, we say, which bases its security in the wise abolition, temperance least of the causes from which can be compromised, as the ideological or nationalistic pride, the arms race, the lack of confidence in the methods and the bodies set up to make orderly and fraternal coexistence between peoples.

 

Peace, peace in truth, in justice, in the freedom and love, we hope!

 

(Pope Paulus VI, Radio message of peace and unity of all peoples, 23.12.1963)