Watch again as Pope Francis marked Christmas Eve with mass at St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.
For the third year running, the service was held in the early evening, rather than what is otherwise known as ‘Midnight Mass’.
Surrounded by other religious figures, the Pope emphasised the lessons of Christmas, and how it reflects current world events.
Thousands gathered in St Peter’s Square surrounding the cathedral to watch on. The address was also broadcast on TV in 72 countries around the globe.
In a pre-Christmas message on X (formerly Twitter), he wrote a message encouraging people to ‘deprive’ themselves of something so they can ‘offer it to a neighbour in need’, giving everyone the opportunity to enjoy the spirit of Christmas.
On Christmas Day, Francis will deliver his traditional “Urbi et Orbi” message to the world.
