Christmas message: Archbishop of Bangalore calls for peace, unity, respect for Human Dignity
Bengaluru: Archbishop of Bangalore, Most Rev. Dr. Peter Machado, has said that Christmas is a universal celebration that transcends religious boundaries and carries a timeless message of hope, love and new beginnings.
In his Christmas message issued on December 24, Archbishop Machado said the birth of Jesus Christ reminds humanity that God chose to enter human history not through power or privilege, but in humility and simplicity. He said Christmas calls upon people to rediscover the values of compassion, forgiveness and mutual respect.
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“Christmas urges us to move away from fear and suspicion and to build bridges of understanding and solidarity,” the Archbishop said.
Highlighting the principle of human dignity, Archbishop Machado said that God created every human being in His own image and likeness, bestowing equal dignity on all. This truth, he said, leaves no room for discrimination, violence or exclusion. He added that people are called to live as brothers and sisters, working together for peace, justice and the common good.
Appealing to people of goodwill, the Archbishop urged a renewed commitment to peace, unity and harmony. He called upon families, neighbourhoods and communities to become spaces of dialogue, care for the poor and concern for the vulnerable.
On behalf of the Christian community, Archbishop Machado extended Christmas greetings to all and prayed that the sacred season would renew commitment to humanity and nation-building. “Christmas calls us to replace hatred with humanity, division with dialogue, and fear with hope,” he said.
Meanwhile, senior political leaders visited the Archbishop’s House in Bengaluru to convey Christmas greetings. Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar visited the Archbishop on December 20, 2025, during a Christmas gathering. Chief Minister Siddaramiah also met Archbishop Most Rev. Dr. Peter Machado on December 23, 2025, to greet him on the occasion of Christmas.
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Small plane crashes in rural area of northeast Colombia, killing all 15 people on board
Bogota (AP): A small plane crashed Wednesday in a rural area of Norte de Santander province in northeast Colombia, killing all 15 people on board, authorities said.
Satena, the state-owned airline that operated the flight, said local officials in the community of Curasica notified authorities about where the plane had gone down and a rescue team was deployed to “assess the condition of the passengers.”
Colombia's Transportation Ministry later released a statement saying that “once the aircraft was located on site, authorities regrettably confirmed that there were no survivors.”
The aircraft, which has a registration number of HK4709, took off at 11:42 am local time from the airport in Cucuta, the department's capital, bound for Ocana, a municipality surrounded by mountains, on a flight that typically lasts about 40 minutes.
The aircraft's final contact with air traffic control came minutes after takeoff, according to a statement released by Satena.
The small plane was carrying two crew members and 13 passengers, including Diogenes Quintero, who represents the victims of the internal armed conflict in his region, the airline said.
