The King has called on families to take part in a "digital detox" this Christmas to renew their souls, Buckingham Palace has said.In his annual Christmas message, King Charles urged people to slow down the pace of modern life to "quieten our minds" and connect with family, friends and neighbours.
01:29The Queen and I were delighted to make a state visit to the Vatican,
01:34where we prayed with Pope Leo in a historic moment of spiritual unity.
01:40Together we celebrated the Jubilee theme, Pilgrims of Hope.
01:44Pilgrimage is a word less used today, but it has particular significance for our modern world, and especially at Christmas.
01:55It is about journeying forward, into the future, while also journeying back to remember the past and learn from its lessons.
02:06We did this during the summer, as we celebrated the 80th anniversaries of VE and VJ Day.
02:14The end of the Second World War is now remembered by fewer and fewer of us as the years pass.
02:23But the courage and sacrifice of our servicemen and women, and the way communities came together in the face of such great challenge, carry a timeless message for us all.
02:37These are the values which have shaped our country and the Commonwealth.
02:43As we hear of division, both at home and abroad, they are the values of which we must never lose sight.
02:52For instance, it is impossible not to be deeply moved by the ages of the fallen, as the gravestones in our war cemeteries remind us.
03:04The young people who fought and helped save us from defeat in both world wars were often only 18, 19 or 20 years of age.
03:16Journeying is a constant theme of the Christmas story.
03:20The holy family made a journey to Bethlehem and arrived homeless without proper shelter.
03:28The wise men made a pilgrimage from the east to worship at the cradle of Christ.
03:34And the shepherds journeyed from field to town in search of Jesus, the Savior of the world.
03:42In each case, they journeyed with others and relied on the companionship and kindness of others.
03:52Through physical and mental challenge, they found an inner strength.
03:57To this day, in times of uncertainty, these ways of living are treasured by all the great faiths and provide us with deep wells of hope,
04:11of resilience in the face of adversity, peace through forgiveness,
04:17simply getting to know our neighbors, and by showing respect to one another, creating new friendships.
04:28Indeed, as our world seems to spin ever faster, our journey may pause to quieten our minds,
04:37in T.S. Eliot's words, at the still point of the turning world, and allow ourselves to renew.
04:47In this, with the great diversity of our communities, we can find the strength to ensure that right triumphs over wrong.
04:56It seems to me that we need to cherish the values of compassion and reconciliation,
05:05the way our Lord lived and died.
05:09This year, I have heard so many examples of this, both here and abroad.
05:15These stories of the triumph of courage over adversity give me hope,
05:23from our venerable military veterans, to selfless humanitarian workers in this century's most dangerous conflict zones,
05:33to the ways in which individuals and communities display spontaneous bravery,
05:39instinctively placing themselves in harm's way to defend others.
05:48As I meet people of different faiths, I find it enormously encouraging to hear how much we have in common,
05:58a shared longing for peace and a deep respect for all life.
06:03If we can find time in our journey through life, to think on these virtues,
06:10we can all make the future more hopeful.
06:14Of course, the greatest pilgrimage of all is the journey we celebrate today,
06:21the story of the one who came down to earth from heaven,
06:25whose shelter was a stable,
06:28and who shared his life with the poor and lowly.
06:33It was a pilgrimage with a purpose heralded by angels that there should be peace on earth.
06:42That prayer for peace and reconciliation,
06:47for doing to others as we would have them do to us,
06:51which rang out over the fields near Bethlehem more than 2,000 years ago,
06:57still reverberates from there and around the world today.
07:03It is a prayer for our times and our communities too,
07:09as we journey through our lives.
07:13So, with these words and my whole heart,
07:19I wish you all the most peaceful and very happy Christmas.
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