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VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis held a low-key Christmas Eve Mass that was turned gloomy by the coronavirus pandemic and said people should feel compelled to help those in need because Jesus himself was born a poor outcast.
Mass was celebrated Thursday in a rear section of St. Peter’s Basilica with fewer than 100 participants and only a small number of cardinals and bishops. It is usually held in the main section of the basilica and is attended by up to 10,000 people, including the diplomatic corps representing nearly 200 countries.
Everyone except the Pope and the small choir wore a mask during Mass, which began two hours earlier than usual so that even the limited number of people in attendance could return home before curfew at 10 p.m.
“The Son of God was born as an outcast, to tell us that every outcast is a child of God,” Francis said in his homily.
Francis said Christmas should make everyone reflect on “our injustice towards so many of our brothers and sisters” instead of pursuing “our infinite desire for possessions” and fleeting pleasures.
“God came among us in poverty and need, to tell us that by serving the poor, we will show our love for him,” said the 84-year-old pope, celebrating the eighth Christmas of his pontificate.
In his Christmas messages, Francis promised to visit Lebanon and South Sudan as soon as he could.
The Pope traditionally mentions countries in his Christmas Day message, but highlighted those two nations with Christmas Eve messages due to the difficulties each has faced this year.
“I am deeply concerned to see the suffering and anguish that has sapped the resilience and ingenuity of the Land of Cedars,” Francis said, referring to Lebanon, which has been struggling with a deep economic crisis and the aftermath of the port. from Beirut. explosion on August 4 that killed about 200 people.
In a separate message written together with the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, who is the spiritual leader of the world Anglican communion, and the moderator of the Church of Scotland Martin Fair, the three church leaders pledged to take a previously delayed trip. to the Christian majority of South Sudan “how things return to normal”.
He is scheduled to visit Iraq from March 5-8.
On Friday, the Pope will read his message “Urbi et Orbi” (to the city and the world) from a hall inside the Vatican instead of from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Square, an event that usually attracts tens of thousands. of people. .
Italians are under a nationwide lockdown for much of the Christmas and New Year holidays. Non-essential stores will be closed between December 24 and 27, and between December 31 and January 31. January 3 and 5-6. These days, people can travel only for work, health or emergency reasons.
The restrictions mean that people will not be able to go to St. Peter’s Square or the basilica. All papal events between December 24 and January 6 will be held indoors with little or no public participation and will be broadcast live on the Internet and on television.
