During his Urbi et Orbi blessing on Sunday, Pope Francis called for a ceasefire in Gaza and access to humanitarian aid in that region, and told the Western Balkans that ethnic, cultural, and religious differences should not be a cause of division but a source of richness.

Addressing the Western Balkan countries, the Pope said, “The Western Balkans is especially in my thoughts, where significant steps are being taken towards integration into the European project. Ethnic, cultural, and religious differences should not be a cause of division but should become a source of richness for the whole of Europe and the entire world.”