Pope Francis on Saturday Dec 24,2016 has celebrated Christmas Eve Mass in a packed St Peter's Basilica, rounding out a year marked by his pleas for the world to better protect innocents caught up in wars, migrations and abject poverty.
As the Sistine Chapel choir sang "Gloria" and the basilica's bells rang out across Rome, Francis yesterday processed to the altar behind cardinals draped in golden vestments for the service celebrating the birth of Jesus.
The late night Mass was the first major event of the Christmas season, followed by Francis' noon Urbi et Orbi (To the city and the world) blessing on Christmas Day
Pope Francis,the 80-year-old was leading the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics into Christmas for the fourth time since his election in 2016
Pope Francis (pictured) kneels as he leads the Christmas night Mass in Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on Christmas Eve
Pope Francis addressed an audience of 10,000 people along with dozens of cardinals and bishops at St. Peter's Basilica
Outside the basilica, thousands of people who could not get into the largest church in Christendom watched on large screens in the chilly night.
Francis added: 'Let us allow ourselves to be challenged by the children who are not allowed to be born, by those who cry because no one satiates their hunger, by those who do have not toys in their hands, but rather weapons.'
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