Pope Officiates Christmas Eve Mass

December 25, 2022 9:08 am

VATICAN CITY (AP) — In the splendor of St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis was presiding over Christmas Eve Mass. During his homily Saturday evening, the pontiff hailed Jesus’ birth in a stable and admonished people against being “ravenous” for power and wealth. He decried war, poverty, injustice and greedy consumerism. Francis encouraged people not to let Christmas pass without doing something good. The pope said there was a “danger” that people forget the real meaning of the holiday. Some 7,000 Romans, tourists and pilgrims attended the Mass. On Sunday, Francis was set to deliver a Christmas blessing and read a message traditionally about the world’s trouble spots from the basilica’s balcony overlooking St. Peter’s Square.