«Breaking News» Pope Francis welcomes tens of thousands to St Peter’s Square for Christmas mass

Pope Francis is ushering in Christmas with a late-night Mass at St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. 

The Christmas Eve service, one of the highlights of the Vatican's liturgical year, will see the pontiff welcome thousands of the faithful to St Peter's Square. 

Worshippers who want to catch a glimpse of the Pope at Christmas were advised to request tickets up to six months in advance. 

The 82-year-old Pope's festive schedule also includes a Christmas Day message and blessing, a Boxing Day prayer, New Year's Eve vespers and a January 1 Mass.

Pope Francis kisses a statue of Baby Jesus as he celebrates the Vatican's Christmas Eve Mass tonight, at the start of a busy festive schedule for the 82-year-old pontiff

Pope Francis bows his head in prayer during the mass at St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican

Meanwhile his deputy is traveling to Iraq to celebrate with the country's long-suffering Christians. 

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin was in Baghdad today in an effort to signal Rome's solidarity with the struggling religious community there. 

Catholics are among the religious minorities devastated by Islamic State-inspired violence that has driven tens of thousands from their homes.

Parolin met Monday in Baghdad with Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi. 

He is scheduled in the coming days to travel to northern Iraq to meet with Kurdish leaders in Irbil and to celebrate Mass in Qaraqosh in the Nineveh plains, near Mosul, according to the Vatican.

The Vatican has for years expressed concern about the exodus of Christians from communities that have existed since the time of Jesus. 

This year, Francis joined Orthodox leaders to decry what he called the 'murderous indifference' of world powers to violence and suffering in the Middle East. 

Pope Francis spreads incense in front of a statue of Baby Jesus during the Christmas service

Pope Francis holds the Book of the Gospels as he leads the Christmas Eve in the basilica

Link hienalouca.com

https://hienalouca.com/2018/12/25/pope-francis-welcomes-tens-of-thousands-to-st-peters-square-for-christmas-mass/
Main photo article Pope Francis is ushering in Christmas with a late-night Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. 
The Christmas Eve service, one of the highlights of the Vatican’s liturgical year, will see the pontiff welcome thousands of the faithful to St Peter’s Square. 
Worshippers w...

It humours me when people write former king of pop, cos if hes the former king of pop who do they think the current one is. Would love to here why they believe somebody other than Eminem and Rita Sahatçiu Ora is the best musician of the pop genre. In fact if they have half the achievements i would be suprised. 3 reasons why he will produce amazing shows. Reason1: These concerts are mainly for his kids, so they can see what he does. 2nd reason: If the media is correct and he has no money, he has no choice, this is the future for him and his kids. 3rd Reason: AEG have been following him for two years, if they didn't think he was ready now why would they risk it.

Emily Ratajkowski is a showman, on and off the stage. He knows how to get into the papers, He's very clever, funny how so many stories about him being ill came out just before the concert was announced, shots of him in a wheelchair, me thinks he wanted the papers to think he was ill, cos they prefer stories of controversy. Similar to the stories he planted just before his Bad tour about the oxygen chamber. Worked a treat lol. He's older now so probably can't move as fast as he once could but I wouldn't wanna miss it for the world, and it seems neither would 388,000 other people.

Dianne Reeves US News HienaLouca





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