'Open your hearts to fellow man': Pope Francis addresses thousands at St Peter's Basilica in first Christmas Eve Mass since becoming leader of the Catholic Church

Pope Francis celebrated his first Christmas Mass with 300 cardinals and priests at the Vatican

The leader of the Catholic Church urged worshippers to 'open their hearts to God and their fellow man'



The 77-year-old described man's choice between light and darkness



Thousands gathered in Vatican city to watch the service being televised on giant screens


In his first Christmas as leader of the Catholic church, Pope Francis has urged people to shun pride and selfishness and open their hearts to God.

Francis, who became the first non-European pope in 1,300 years in March after the historic resignation of Pope Benedict IX addressed packed St Peters Basilica in Vatican City on Christmas Eve.



He told worshippers in Rome to receive their fellow man with open hearts in the Christmas Mass service.



Pope Francis celebrates the Christmas Eve Mass in St Peter's Basilica at the Vatican while thousands of worshippers watch the televised service Holding the crib effigy of the infant Jesus, Pope Francis delivered a service in which he encouraged people to open their hearts to God and their fellow man

Thousands gazed at the pontiff's image on giant screens to watch the Sistine Chapel intoning the Gloria, a traditional prayer to herald Christmas.



Pope Francis delivered a brief and simple homlily, telling worshippers: 'On the part of the people there are times of both light and darkness, fidelity and infidelity, obedience, and rebellion; times of being a pilgrim people and times of being a people adrift.'

Speaking in Italian, he continued: 'In our personal history too, there are both bright and dark moments, lights and shadows.



'If we love God and our brothers and sisters, we walk in the light; but if our heart is closed, if we are dominated by pride, deceit, self-seeking, then darkness falls within us and around us.'



He then urged crowds not to be afraid to seek the guidance of God.



'Do not be afraid! Our Father is patient, he loves us, he gives us Jesus to guide us on the way which leads to the promised land.



'Jesus is the light who brightens the darkness. He is our peace,' he said.

Pope Francis lauded Jesus' humble beginning as a poor and vulnerable baby, saying: 'You are immense, and you made yourself small; you are rich, and you made yourself poor; you are all-powerful and you made yourself vulnerable.'



He noted that the first to receive news of Jesus' birth were shepherds, who in society were considered ''among the last, the outcast."'

The bells of St. Peter's rang as Francis, who turned 77 a week ago, walked briskly up the main aisle of the basilica for the ceremony, which began two hours before midnight.



Keeping with the theme of humility he has set for his new papacy, Francis carried the statue instead of an aide, and kissed a knee of the figure of the newly born Jesus.



In his first Christmas service since becoming leader of the Catholic Church the Pope kisses a statue of the baby Jesus Pope Francis celebrated the service with over 300 cardinals and priests. The 77-year-old urged people not to be afraid to reach out to God Tonight's service is the only public Mass the pope will hold over Christmas. He is due to address worshippers on Christmas Day from the basilica's central balcony overlooking St Peter's Square



'THE PEOPLE WHO WALKED IN DARKNESS HAVE SEEN A GREAT LIGHT': POPE FRANCIS' CHRISTMAS EVE MASS

'The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light' (Isaiah 9:1) 'This prophecy of Isaiah never ceases to touch us, especially when we hear it proclaimed in the liturgy of Christmas Night. ' This is not simply an emotional or sentimental matter. It moves us because it states the deep reality of what we are: a people who walk, and all around us - and within us as well - there is darkness and light.

'In this night, as the spirit of darkness enfolds the world, there takes place anew the event which always amazes and surprises us: the people who walk see a great light. A light which makes us reflect on this mystery: the mystery of walking and seeing. ' Walking. This verb makes us reflect on the course of history, that long journey which is the history of salvation, starting with Abraham, our father in faith, whom the Lord called one day to set out, to go forth from his country towards the land which he would show him.

'From that time on, our identity as believers has been that of a people making its pilgrim way towards the promised land. ' This history has always been accompanied by the Lord! He is ever faithful to his covenant and to his promises.

'God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all' (1 John 1:5).

'Yet on the part of the people there are times of both light and darkness, fidelity and infidelity, obedience, and rebellion; times of being a pilgrim people and times of being a people adrift. ' In our personal history too, there are both bright and dark moments, lights and shadows. If we love God and our brothers and sisters, we walk in the light; but if our heart is closed, if we are dominated by pride, deceit, self-seeking, then darkness falls within us and around us. 'Whoever hates his brother - writes the Apostle John - is in the darkness; he walks in the darkness, and does not know the way to go, because the darkness has blinded his eyes' (1 John 2:11). 'On this night, like a burst of brilliant light, there rings out the proclamation of the Apostle: 'God's grace has been revealed, and it has made salvation possible for the whole human race' (Tit 2:11). ' The grace which was revealed in our world is Jesus, born of the Virgin Mary, true man and true God. He has entered our history; he has shared our journey. He came to free us from darkness and to grant us light. 'In him was revealed the grace, the mercy, and the tender love of the Father: Jesus is Love incarnate. He is not simply a teacher of wisdom, he is not an ideal for which we strive while knowing that we are hopelessly distant from it.

'He is the meaning of life and history, who has pitched his tent in our midst. '3. The shepherds were the first to see this 'tent', to receive the news of Jesus' birth. They were the first because they were among the last, the outcast.

'And they were the first because they were awake, keeping watch in the night, guarding their flocks. Together with them, let us pause before the Child, let us pause in silence. ' Together with them, let us thank the Lord for having given Jesus to us, and with them let us raise from the depths of our hearts the praises of his fidelity: We bless you, Lord God most high, who lowered yourself for our sake.

'You are immense, and you made yourself small; you are rich and you made yourself poor; you are all-powerful and you made yourself vulnerable. 'On this night let us share the joy of the Gospel: God loves us, he so loves us that he gave us his Son to be our brother, to be light in our darkness. ' To us the Lord repeats: 'Do not be afraid!' (Luke 2:10). And I too repeat: Do not be afraid! Our Father is p atient, he loves us, he gives us Jesus to guide us on the way which leads to the promised land. Jesus is the light who brightens the darkness. He is our peace. Amen.'



Some who had travelled thousands of miles to attend the service felt compelled to make the journey as they felt the new leader had breathed fresh life into the Church.



'(He) is bringing a new era into the Church, a Church that is focusing much more on the poor and that is more austere, more lively, a Church that cares about everyone in the world,' said Dolores Di Benedetto, from the pope's native Argentina.

Giacchino Sabello said he had not been to Midnight Mass in St. Peter's but now wanted to get a first-hand look at the new pope.

'Now I am coming from quite far away, mainly because ... I thought it would be very nice to hear the words of this pope close up and to see how the people are overwhelmed by him,' he said.



On Wednesday at noon (local time) he will deliver the second 'Urbi et Orbi' (to the city and the world) message and blessing of his pontificate. The first was last Easter.

On Dec. 31, the 77-year-old celebrates a year-end Mass of thanksgiving inside the basilica and presides at a New Year's Mass to mark the Roman Catholic Church's World Day of Peace.

On Jan. 6, he will celebrate a Mass in the square on the day the Church marks the feast of the Epiphany, which commemorates the visit of the magi to the baby Jesus.



Pope Francis carried the statue of the baby to a manger instead of enlisting an aide. He then kissed its knee in celebration of the birth of Christ in his first Christmas service since being elected A man and woman play a nativity scene during the official unveiling of the crib in St Peter's Square are the Vatican

A band begins to play at the crib scene as it is unveiled next to a Christmas tree in St Peter's Square at the Vatican The traditional nativity scene was unveiled in Vatican city, Rome, today as thousands gathered in the capital to celebrate Christmas

Earlier in the day a band gathered around the Nativity scene as it was unveiled in St Peter's Square.



Its creator, Antonio Cantone, named the work 'Francis 1223 - Francis 2013' in reference to St Francis if Assisi who inspired the pope's choice of name.

Cantone said he wanted to create a scene that reflected the Pope Francis's humble approach to leadership and give more prominence to ordinary people dressed in simple clothing.



'I have based the scene on the message of Pope Francis.

'The first to arrive when Jesus was born were ordinary people, that is the core of the message I wanted,' he said earlier this month.





