From war-torn and humanitarian crisis–stricken Sudan to Caracas, Venezuela, amid escalating tensions with the United States; from Kyiv, where the war enters its fourth year in a matter of days, to Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus Christ; and from the favelas of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo to Christian minority communities in Pakistan.

In sub-zero temperatures or dressed simply in beanies and swimsuits, millions of Christians around the world marked Christmas, celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ and His coming into the world, according to the Christian faith.

The message was universal: health, peace for regions devastated by armed conflict, and hope for better days ahead.