Pope Francis is calling on wealthy countries and institutions to substantially reduce if not outright cancel debt as a matter of justice on the occasion of the Vatican’s 2025 Jubilee Year.

Anticipating the World Day of Peace on Jan. 1, Pope Francis renewed John Paul’s appeals earlier this month, asking for the forgiveness of foreign debt, elimination of the death penalty and creation of a fund aimed at eradicating world hunger using money allocated for armaments.

Pope Francis has called on all nations to eliminate the death penalty, to divert a fixed percentage of arms spending to a global fund to fight hunger and climate change, and to cancel the international debt of developing nations.

Coinciding with the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, the World Day of Peace was instituted by Pope Paul VI in 1968.

Pope Francis has issued an urgent appeal to wealthier nations to drastically reduce or eliminate poorer countries' debts, framing it as a question of justice. As the Vatican's 2025 Jubilee Year approaches,

Pope Francis called for debt relief for the poor countries of the South of the globe and the universal abolition of the death penalty in his message for World Peace Day 2025, which takes place on January 1.