''I place in the hands of the divine Child of Bethlehem the indications of a resumption of dialogue between the Israelis and the Palestinians..."

...which we have witnessed in recent days, and the hope of further encouraging developments."

The Pope offers prayers for peace on Christmas Day:

''I pray to God ... that throughout Africa there will be an end to fratricidal conflicts, that the open wounds in that continent will quickly heal and that the steps being made toward reconciliation, democracy and development will be consolidated,'' he said in a speech televised in nearly 60 countries. (NYT)