Premiere for Pope Leo at Christmas

On Christmas Eve, Pope Leo XIV will celebrate his first Christmas Mass in St. Peter's Basilica. It is expected that the Pontiff will speak out against war and violence and remind people of human suffering. The first American on the Chair of Peter has already made several statements urging peace and reconciliation and has reminded the world of the victims of war.

Christmas Mass at 10:00 PM

This year, the Christmas Mass is scheduled for 10:00 PM, later than under his predecessor Francis. Francis, already in poor health, opened the Holy Year at Christmas 2024. Sitting in a wheelchair, he inaugurated the Holy Year with the opening of the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica, which will now end on January 6, 2026.

Bethlehem with Christmas Tree

In Bethlehem in the Holy Land, Christians are celebrating Christmas in a festive manner for the first time since the end of the Gaza War. In front of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, a large Christmas tree has been erected again after two years. The traditional Midnight Mass will also be celebrated there. The Israeli Ministry of Tourism expects around 40,000 Christian pilgrims for Christmas.

(APA/Red)

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