Overview
- Before the liturgy he stepped into St. Peter’s Square in heavy rain to greet the crowd, thanking them for coming and offering a Christmas blessing.
- He unveiled the infant Jesus in the basilica nativity, followed by a floral tribute from children from several countries, including Ukraine.
- His homily linked the Incarnation to the intrinsic worth of every person and warned against an economy that treats people as merchandise, contrasting human pride with divine humility.
- He quoted Benedict XVI on making space for the poor, the young and the stranger, while invoking Saint Augustine’s teaching on humility as the path to salvation.
- The solemn Mass drew nearly 250 concelebrating clergy with the Sistine Chapel Choir singing “Noel,” as the Vatican reported about 6,000 inside the basilica and roughly 5,000 outside.