The pope, who in recent days has made strong remarks condemning Israel’s military actions in Gaza, opened the “Holy Door” of St Peter’s Basilica before presiding over the Christmas Eve mass.
Among the groups registered to participate in the Jubilee, which has the motto “Pilgrims of Hope”, is Italian LGBTQ group La Tenda di Gionata, reflecting the pope’s call for the Church to be open to all.
There were many moments of joy on Christmas Eve, as families around the world gathered for meals and gift-giving.
As an annual tradition of “tracking” Santa Claus swung into action, a US Air Force general said there was no need to worry that recent mystery drone sightings might affect deliveries.
General Gregory Guillot’s reassurances came as the joint US-Canadian North American Aerospace Defense Command reported that Santa and his reindeer were making stops across Asia, including Japan and North Korea.
“Of course, we are concerned about drones and anything else in the air,” NORAD commander Guillot told Fox News. “But I don’t foresee any difficulty at all with drones for Santa this year.”
And in Paris, worshippers gathered at the Notre Dame cathedral for the first Christmas mass since its reopening following a devastating fire in 2019.
“We got here early to attend 4:00 pm mass, and to get a good spot. It’s a superb monument,” said Julien Violle, a 40-year-old engineer who travelled to Paris from Switzerland along with his two children.
Notre Dame officially reopened on December 7 in a ceremony attended by world leaders, including incoming US president Donald Trump.
© 2024 AFP
