Pope Francis declares 2016 to be ‘a year of mercy’

Wishing for a year better than 2015, Pope Francis on Friday called for an end to the “arrogance of the powerful” that relegates the weak to the outskirts of society, and to the “false neutrality” toward conflicts, hunger, and persecution that triggers exoduses of refugees.

In his New Year’s homily, Francis emphasised the need to “let ourselves be reborn, to overcome the indifference which blocks solidarity, and to leave behind the false neutrality which prevents sharing.”

After celebrating Mass, the Pope came to the window of a Vatican palazzo overlooking St Peter’s Square to offer new year’s wishes to a crowd of tens of thousands.