Pope's Christmas message: pray for peace

Pope Francis is celebrating his first Christmas as leader of the world's Catholics, riding a wave of popularity and influence after a year shaking up the papacy with his humble style, sense of humour and common touch. 

In his inaugural Christmas blessing, Pope Francis said he hopes for a better world, including successful Middle East negotiations in the land of Jesus' birth, peace for Syria, South Sudan, the Central African Republic, Nigeria and Iraq, and dignity for refugees fleeing misery and conflict. 

Francis spoke from the central balcony of St Peter's Basilica to some 70,000 cheering tourists, pilgrims and Romans in the square below. He said he was joining all those hoping "for a better world." 

The conflict in Syria is estimated to have killed more than 126,000 people since it first started out as peaceful anti-regime protests in 2011 and the violence there has unsettled the Middle East as a whole.