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Christmas Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica was marked by the corona pandemic: Pope Francis delivered the Christmas sermon in front of a few believers and earlier than usual. He encouraged the believers.
By Lisa Weiß, ARD-Studio Rome
St. Peter’s Basilica is nearly empty when Pope Francis moves in to celebrate Christmas Mass: instead of nearly 7,000 visitors as usual, only a few believers sit on the benches, far apart and wearing masks. Even if the cathedral is festively decorated, how much is shaped this Christmas by the pandemic cannot be overlooked. The year of the crisis is also reflected in the Pope’s sermon, which this year is based on Isaiah’s prophecy, which is fulfilled on Christmas night: “A child was born to us, a son was given to us.”
Francisco encourages people, calls them to a new confidence in themselves. Christmas reminds us that each person is precious in the eyes of God, says the leader of the Catholic Church. God’s love is unconditional, it does not depend on the hurts and failures of the past.
“Today God is amazed at us and says to each one of us: ‘You are a miracle.’ Sister, brother, don’t be discouraged. Are you tempted to believe that you have failed? God says to you: “No, you are my son!” Do you have the feeling that you just can’t do it, the fear of being inadequate, do you fear that you will not get out of the tunnel of trial? God tells you: ‘Be of good cheer, I am with you.’
Call to console those who suffer
Man is ungrateful to God, says Francisco, he is unfair to many of his fellow men. So God overestimates man; She does it because she loves him completely. Therefore, man must allow himself to be penetrated by the love of God instead of filling his life with entertainment, success and worldliness.
“It is true: insatiable we want more and that is why we rush to the many troughs of vanity and we forget the manger in Bethlehem,” the Pope said in his Preidgt. He asked the faithful not to feel sorry for themselves, but to console those who suffer, to serve the poor, a motive that runs through Francis’ sermons: for the poor, the weak, the marginalized, Francis is fully committed to he. especially one since he was in office.
Night curfew in Italy
Christmas mass ends early, much earlier than usual: it was two hours early, once again the pandemic is responsible for this. Since there is a night curfew in Italy, the Pope wanted to celebrate the service beforehand.
And also with the traditional blessing Urbi et Orbi, that is to say: the city and the world, there are changes: the Pope wants to speak with him tomorrow at noon after the Christmas message in the blessing room above the foyer of St. Peter’s Basilica .
So he does not go out to the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica as he usually does, and thus gives an example: during the holidays, there are also exit restrictions in Italy during the day.
