Tuesday, 02 January 2024 12:17 GMT

Pope Leo XIV praises over his first Christmas Eve Mass at Vatican


(MENAFN) Pope Leo XIV presided over his first Christmas Eve Mass on Wednesday, marking a significant moment early in his papacy.

The liturgy was held inside St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City and was attended by senior clergy, including cardinals, bishops, and priests, along with diplomats accredited to the Holy See and numerous invited guests.

Pope Leo XIV assumed leadership of the Roman Catholic Church following the death of Pope Francis on April 21. He was elected on May 8 as the 267th pontiff, with Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost taking the papal name Leo XIV.

During his homily, the pope offered a critique of modern materialism, warning that a distorted economic system reduces human beings to commodities rather than recognizing their inherent dignity.

Ahead of the service, he appeared in St. Peter’s Square to greet worshippers, offering them Christmas wishes before entering the basilica.

Observers noted that, in contrast to his predecessor, Pope Leo XIV began the Christmas Eve Mass later in the evening, closer to midnight, and presided over a longer service.

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