Pope Leo XIV Presides Over First Christmas Eve Mass at Vatican

Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday led his first Christmas Eve Mass as head of the Roman Catholic Church, marking a significant moment in his papacy.

The service was held at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican and was attended by senior clergy, including cardinals, bishops and priests, as well as diplomatic representatives accredited to the Holy See and invited guests.

Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, was elected on May 8 as the 267th pontiff following the death of Pope Francis on April 21.

In his homily, the Pope criticised materialism, warning that a distorted global economy risks reducing human beings to mere commodities. Ahead of the Mass, he greeted worshippers gathered in St. Peter’s Square, extending Christmas wishes to the faithful.

Observers noted that, unlike his predecessor, Pope Leo began the Christmas Eve Mass later in the night, closer to midnight, and presided over a longer service. Media reports described the timing and length of the ceremony 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”) address from St. Peter’s Basilica, offering reflections and messages on global issues.