Vatican. Christmas Mass in San Pedro, the development of the celebration

Amedeo Lomonaco – Vatican City

The development of the Holy Mass on Christmas Eve and the Christmas Message with the blessing City and world. These are the two main events at the center of the traditional Christmas information gathering, diffusion of the Marconi room of the Pío palace, of Vatican News, in an unprecedented context due to the pandemic. The Christmas Eve mass will be presided over by Pope Francis in Saint Peter’s Basilica on the altar of the Chair, which will be attended by around 100 people. The Pontiff will instead give the Blessing City and world on Christmas Day in the Hall of Blessings, where a few days ago the audience with the Roman Curia was held for the exchange of Christmas greetings.

Holy Mass on Christmas Eve

Regarding tonight’s Mass, it should be noted that at the time of the consecration, two cardinals will approach the altar to assist the Holy Father, but they will be positioned on the sides and not next to the Pope like this. usually is. , out of respect for the rules of distancing. Once the celebration is over, the Pontiff will return to the image of the Child Jesus, which he unveiled at the start of Mass after the singing of the Calenda. Then, after an act of veneration, you will go to the sacristy.

Christmas message with the blessing of Urbi and Orbi

The Christmas message with the blessing of City and world It will take place tomorrow, December 25, in the Hall of Blessings, located on the portico of the Vatican Basilica. Completed between 1611 and 1612, the Hall of Blessings was restored to its original beauty barely a year ago after a long and complex restoration, particularly of the stucco, which took several years.

Transmissions in the European vision and the world vision

During the briefing it was announced that this year 120 stations will be connected for Mass, while for the City and world There will be at least 150 connected entities to which will be added a very large audience who will follow the celebrations via the Internet. In addition to the multilingual commentary that traditionally characterizes the commentaries of Vatican Radio journalists – Vatican News, there will be, as was the case during the Easter Triduum celebrations, a sign language translation service (LIS) for people with hearing and communication disabilities. Therefore, there will be a channel Youtube of Vatican News where, in collaboration with Tv2000 and Sister Verónica Donatello of the Italian Episcopal Conference, the translation of LIS will be offered in diffusion tonight’s mass and City and world of tomorrow.