An impassioned New Year's peace speech was made by Pope Francis on Wednesday, saying the heart of humanity seemed to have gone astray and too many people were still indifferent to war, violence and injustice, Reuters reported.
Taking his papal name from St Francis of Assisi, the saint most associated with peace, the pontiff urged the world to listen to the "cry for peace" from suffering people.
"What on earth is happening in the hearts of men? What on earth is happening in the heart of humanity?" he said to tens of thousands of people in St Peter's Square on the day the Roman Catholic Church celebrates its World Day of Peace. "It's time to stop!"
Speaking from the window of the Apostolic Palace overlooking St. Peter's Square, Francis had not used the spacious apartment behind the window since his election in March, according to Reuters.
"Everyone must be committed to building a society that is truly just and caring," he told the crowd on Wednesday, acknowledging the many peace banners and blue balloons held by the audience.
World leaders had received messages from Francis for the World Day of Peace last month, urging that huge salaries and bonuses were symptoms of an economy based on greed and inequality, Reuters reported.
Francis, named Person of the Year by Time magazine and a number of other publications, has urged his own Church to set an example by being more fair and frugal and less pompous, and to get closer to the poor and afflicted.
Plagued by a series of mishaps and scandals under Pope Benedict XVI, who in February became the first pontiff to resign in 600 years, the New Year is expected to bring concrete changes to the Vatican.
A committee of eight cardinals from around the world has been appointed by Francis to advise him on how to reform the central Vatican administration, according to Reuters.
He has also named commissions to advise him on what to do with the scandal-plagued Vatican bank, on transparency in other parts of Vatican finance and on how to deal with the Church's many sexual abuse scandals, Reuters reported.
Changes are expected to take shape in late February, when Francis council of advisors has an important meeting in the Vatican.
According to Reuters, Francis will name his first batch of cardinals to join the exclusive group that will one day choose his successor on Feb. 22.
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