Preparations are underway for the first Christmas celebration of Pope Francis’ pontificate today.
The Holy Father will celebrated a solemn liturgy this evening, in which he will place an image of the Child Jesus in the Nativity scene in St. Peter’s Basilica. Tomorrow, the Holy Father will give his Urbi et Orbi (to the City and to the World) Apostolic Blessing.
According to Vatican Radio, the Holy Father’s message will be televised by an estimated 70 stations worldwide.
During his homily at Casa Santa Marta yesterday, Pope Francis invited the faithful to open their hearts and souls to receive Christ in the Christmas season.
“For this the Church invites us to pray this “Come!”, to open our soul and that our soul be, in these days, vigilant in waiting,” the Pope said yesterday. “To keep watch! What happens in us if the Lord comes or if he doesn’t come? If there is a place for the Lord or if there is a place for parties, for shopping, for making noise…Is our soul open like the Holy Mother Church and how Our Lady was open? Or is our soul closed and we have attached a sign on the door, very courteous, that says: ‘Do not disturb?’”
