Pope Leo XIV leads first Christmas Eve Mass at Vatican
Pope Leo XIV has led his first Christmas Eve Mass as head of the Roman Catholic Church, presiding over the traditional service at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican on Wednesday evening.
The Mass was attended by senior Catholic clergy, including cardinals, bishops and priests, as well as diplomatic representatives accredited to the Vatican and a large number of invited guests. Thousands of believers also gathered in St. Peter’s Square, where the Pope greeted the faithful ahead of the service and wished them a Merry Christmas, News.Az reports, citing Turkish media.
Pope Leo XIV was elected on May 8 as the 267th pope of the Catholic Church following the death of Pope Francis on April 21. Born Robert Francis Prevost, he took the papal name Leo XIV upon his election.
In his homily, the Pope criticised materialism and warned against what he described as a distorted economic system that treats people as commodities rather than human beings. His remarks echoed longstanding Church concerns about inequality, social justice and the impact of unchecked economic practices on human dignity.
Observers noted a departure from recent practice in the timing and length of the service. Unlike Pope Francis, who often began the Christmas Eve Mass earlier in the evening, Pope Leo XIV started the liturgy closer to midnight and conducted a longer ceremony. Media outlets described the move as a symbolic return to older Vatican traditions.
On Thursday, Pope Leo XIV is expected to deliver the traditional Urbi et Orbi (“To the City and the World”) blessing from St. Peter’s Basilica, offering reflections on major global issues and extending Christmas greetings to Catholics and people worldwide.
The Christmas celebrations mark one of the most significant public moments of Pope Leo XIV’s early papacy, as the new pontiff begins to set the tone for his leadership of the Catholic Church.
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