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<\/div>\n<\/div>\nPope Francis has urged Roman Catholics not to ignore the plight of millions of migrants \u201cdriven from their land\u201d, during Christmas Eve Mass.<\/p>\n
The pontiff compared them to Mary and Joseph, recounting the Biblical story of how they travelled from Nazareth to Bethlehem but found no place to stay.<\/p>\n
Many migrants, he said, were being forced to flee from leaders who \u201csee no problem in shedding innocent blood\u201d.<\/p>\n
He has made defence of migrants around the world a major theme of his papacy.<\/p>\n
The number of refugees worldwide exceeds 22 million, with the latest cross-border influx being the Rohingya fleeing violence in Myanmar.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo many other footsteps are hidden in the footsteps of Joseph and Mary,\u201d the 81-year-old Argentine pontiff, himself the grandson of Italian migrants, told worshippers in St Peter\u2019s Basilica in the Vatican City on Sunday evening.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe see the tracks of millions of persons who do not choose to go away but, driven from their land, leave behind their dear ones.\u201d<\/p>\n
The leader of the world\u2019s estimated 1.2bn Roman Catholics also stressed that faith demanded that foreigners be welcomed everywhere.<\/p>\n
The Pope will give his traditional \u201cUrbi et Orbi\u201d (\u201cto the city and to the world\u201d) Christmas address later on Monday.<\/p>\n
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Source: BBC<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"Homepage](\"https:\/\/ghanamma.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Telesol-ad.jpg\")
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