ROME — Pope Francis used his annual Christmas Day address to make clear his concern that serenity is sorely lacking at a time when the “winds of war’’ and an “outdated model of development’’ are taking a toll on humanity, society, and the environment.

Addressing a crowd from a balcony at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City, the pope delivered his Urbi et Orbi — Latin for “to the city and the world’’ — benediction, which read like a litany of global conflicts and problems.

But it was also an opportunity to pray for a positive turn of events, including a resuscitation of a two-state solution in the Middle East, healing of war-torn Syria and Ukraine, easing of tensions on the Korean Peninsula, and a return to dialogue in Venezuela.

In recent days, the pope said on Twitter that a true celebration of Christmas would free the holiday from consumerism and the “worldliness that has taken it hostage!’’

He has urged the faithful to instead focus on the “fragile simplicity of a new-born baby. That’s where God is.’’

It was that image that he returned to in his remarks Monday, urging Rome and the world to see the baby Jesus “in the children of the Middle East who continue to suffer because of growing tensions between Israelis and Palestinians.’’

He said he hoped that international players of “good will’’ would help resume a dialogue so that “a negotiated solution can finally be reached, one that would allow the peaceful coexistence of two states within mutually agreed and internationally recognized borders.’’

The Holy See has expressed criticism of the Trump administration’s decision to recognize the contested holy city of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and has urged caution about inflaming religious tensions there.

The pope noted the enduring clashes in Iraq and Yemen, where, he said, “There is an ongoing conflict that has been largely forgotten.’’

Francis, who has spoken with great concern about the sharpening language between President Trump and North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un, prayed “that confrontation may be overcome on the Korean Peninsula, and that mutual trust may increase in the interest of the world as a whole.’’

He urged the world to contemplate the children of African nations including South Sudan, Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Nigeria, and he recalled the children he met in his recent visit to Myanmar and Bangladesh.

In her annual Christmas broadcast, Queen Elizabeth II paid homage to the ‘‘extraordinary bravery and resilience’’ of the citizens of London and Manchester, who experienced attacks with knives, vehicles, and a bomb, by mostly homegrown Islamist terrorists.

The queen also said she looked forward to welcoming ‘‘new members’’ to the family in 2018. Though Elizabeth did not mention Prince Harry’s fiancee by name, the broadcast featured an engagement photograph of the American actress Meghan Markle, who is due to marry the prince in May 2018.

A few hours before the Royal Message, the British media noted that Markle was allowed to break with tradition by attending Christmas Mass with the 91-year-old queen.

Markle was photographed walking arm-in-arm with Harry from Sandringham House to the church in Norfolk.

In Palm Beach, Fla., President Trump marked Christmas with his family, the Associated Press reported. He released a brief video in which his wife, Melania, joined him to ‘‘wish America and the entire world a very Merry Christmas.’’

The first lady said that at this time of year ‘‘we see the best of America and the soul of the American people’’ in children packing boxes to help brighten Christmas for troops and communities coming together to help one another.

‘‘In this season of joy, we spend time with our families, we renew our bonds of love and goodwill between our citizens and, most importantly, we celebrate the miracle of Christmas,’’ the president said, noting the story of Jesus’s birth.

‘‘This good news is the greatest Christmas gift of all, the reason for our joy, and the true source of our hope,’’ Trump said.

Trump is spending his first Christmas in office at his estate in Palm Beach. The White House did not say which family members are with him at Mar-a-Lago, but the first lady and their son, Barron, arrived days before he joined them Friday.

Trump’s daughter, Tiffany Trump, arrived in Florida on Friday, and Donald Trump Jr. shared on social media photos of some of his five children at Christmas Eve dinner with their grandfather.