Pope Leo XIV Brings Back Old Christmas Traditions

Pope Leo XIV is making some big changes to how Christmas is celebrated at the Vatican. He's bringing back old traditions that haven't been seen in years. One of these is the Christmas Day Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, which hasn't happened since 1994. This Mass will take place on December 25th at 10 a. m. , followed by the traditional "urbi et orbi" blessing at noon. The Christmas celebrations will start on December 24th with Mass at 10 p. m. This is a change from recent years when the Mass was moved to 7 p. m. due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Before 2009, the Mass was held at midnight, but it was moved to an earlier time by Pope Benedict XVI. On December 31st, Pope Leo XIV will lead the first vespers and the Te Deum in St. Peter's Basilica. This is a time to give thanks for the year that is ending. On January 1st, 2026, he will celebrate Mass for the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, and the 59th World Day of Peace. The message for this day is about peace and rejecting fear, threats, violence, and weapons.One of the most important moments of the Christmas season will be on January 6th, the solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord. On this day, Pope Leo XIV will close the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica and celebrate the closing Mass of the Ordinary Jubilee of 2025. This is only the second time in history that a jubilee year is closed by a different pope than the one who started it. The Christmas celebrations will end on January 11th, the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. On this day, the pope will celebrate Mass and baptize several children of Vatican employees in the Sistine Chapel. This is a tradition that was started by St. John Paul II. The Christmas spirit is already in the air at the Vatican. On December 15th, the Christmas tree was lit, and the Nativity scene was inaugurated in St. Peter's Square. The Nativity scene in the Paul VI Audience Hall, called “Nacimiento Gaudium, ” has drawn a lot of attention. It shows the Virgin Mary as pregnant, symbolizing hope and anticipation. After Christmas, the pope will take a short break at Castel Gandolfo. However, he will still preside over the main liturgical events and meet with the faithful on major feast days. On January 7th and 8th, he will gather all the cardinals of the world in Rome for his first ordinary consistory since the conclave that elected him.