Pope Francis prayed for typhoon-hit Philippines on Friday, December 25, in his annual Christmas message where he also voiced concern over global issues such as the conflict in Syria and the COVID-19 pandemic.

“May the King of Heaven protect all victims of natural disasters in Southeast Asia, especially in the Philippines and Vietnam, where numerous storms have caused flooding with devastating repercussions on peoples in terms of loss of life, harm to the environment, and consequences for local economies,” Francis said in his Christmas “Urbi et Orbi” (To the City and To the World) message at 7 pm, Manila time.

One of the world’s most typhoon-prone countries, the Philippines suffered a series of tropical cyclones especially in the latter part of 2020. The deadliest of these recent disasters was Typhoon Ulysses (Vamco), which killed at least 101 people, and resulted in around P7.31 billion in damage to agriculture.

In his Urbi et Orbi on Friday, the Pope also prayed for “a spirit of international cooperation” among government leaders, “starting with health care, so that all will be ensured an access to vaccines and treatment.”

“May the Child of Bethlehem help us, then, to be generous, supportive, and helpful, especially towards those who are vulnerable – the sick, those unemployed or experiencing hardship due to the economic effects of the pandemic, and women who have suffered domestic violence during these months of lockdown,” Francis said.

“In the face of a challenge that knows no borders, we cannot erect walls. All of us are in the same boat. Every other person is my brother or my sister, and everyone I see reflects the face of God,” the pontiff added. – Rappler.com