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Pope Francis in the Apostolic Library
© APA (AFP)
On Boxing Day, Pope Francis asked Christians to bear witness to their faith as faithfully as Saint Stephen. The first Christian martyr is an example of the will to forgive the brothers. He gave forgiveness to his executioners. “Even small gestures of love can change the course of history,” the Pope said. He emphasized that there are more persecuted Christians in the world than in the time of the first martyrs.
Stephen was gentle and courageous at the same time, noble and non-violent. His life is a source of inspiration for Christian communities today, “said the Pope. With Stephen, who was stoned to death, the Pope commemorated the” martyrs of yesterday and today.
Christmas celebrations in the Vatican continued to be dominated by the coronavirus pandemic. Pope Francis prayed the traditional Angelus on St. Stephen’s Day not in St. Peter’s Square, but in the library of the Apostolic Palace. “We must all work together to overcome the pandemic,” the Holy Father said. He called on believers to strictly adhere to anti-Covid regulations and to work with authorities to overcome the coronavirus epidemic.
At Christmas, Pope Francis received many congratulations. For that he publicly thanked Stefanitag. “In the last few days I have received many congratulations. As I cannot answer all of them, I express my sincere thanks to all today, especially for the gift of your prayers, ”said the head of the church.
On Christmas Day, the Pope called the brotherhood in times of pandemic in his message to bless Urbi et orbi. To protect himself against the spread of the corona virus, the Pope delivered his Christmas message and donated the blessing on Christmas Day in the Hall of Blessings of the Apostolic Palace and not, as usual, from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica.
The head of the Catholic Church commemorated all those suffering from the pandemic, as well as in conflict and emergency zones around the world. He called for solidarity with the most vulnerable, the sick, the unemployed and those in great difficulty due to the consequences of the pandemic.
Francis officially opened the Christmas celebrations at the Vatican with a festive service in St. Peter’s Basilica on Thursday night. During the traditional Christmas Mass that commemorates the birth of Christ 2,000 years ago, the Pope exhorted the faithful to show charity and selfless humanity. The head of the church urged the faithful not “to mourn their own fate, but to calm the tears of those who suffer.” Only about 200 people were able to participate in the service in St.
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