All articles tagged with #st peters square
Pope Leo XIV surprised rain-soaked attendees in St. Peter’s Square with a heartfelt greeting and apology for not accommodating everyone inside the basilica during his first Christmas Eve Mass, delivering a nearly two-and-a-half-hour homily that touched on the birth of Jesus and global issues.
The Vatican officially inaugurated its Christmas decorations in St. Peter’s Square, featuring a large nativity scene and a 25-meter Christmas tree, both symbolizing peace, fraternity, and respect for creation, with the nativity scene highlighting regional cultural elements and the tree donated by northern Italian dioceses.
During a Mass in St Peter’s Square for the first World Children’s Day, Pope Francis emphasized the roles of God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit in the lives of the faithful, encouraging children to seek guidance and comfort from the Holy Trinity and to pray for their families and world peace.
Pope Francis presided at Mass on Easter Sunday in St. Peter's Square with tens of thousands of the faithful to celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord, continuing the Easter Triduum and concluding with Vespers on Sunday evening, with the Easter liturgical season continuing through the Solemnity of Pentecost in May.
Pope Francis overcame health concerns to lead tens of thousands in Easter Sunday Mass at St. Peter's Square, following a 2½-hour nighttime Easter Vigil. Despite battling respiratory problems, the 87-year-old pontiff appeared in good form, with some 30,000 people attending the Mass. The Vatican said the decision to conserve his health by avoiding long speeches paid off, as Francis was able to preside over the important liturgy and administer sacraments.
Pope Francis led the Palm Sunday Mass at St. Peter’s Square, emphasizing Jesus' humble entry into Jerusalem as a peaceful king. He chose not to read the prepared homily and arrived at the Mass in a wheelchair, but did read the prayers and offered a peace appeal for Ukraine and the victims of a terrorist attack in Moscow. The Mass was attended by an estimated 60,000 people, and the pope has a busy schedule for Holy Week, including presiding over various liturgies and devotions leading up to Easter Sunday.
Pope Francis, who is recovering from infectious bronchitis, skipped his window appearance in St. Peter's Square for the second Sunday in a row but assured the public that he is doing better. Speaking from the chapel of the Vatican hotel, the Pope expressed his disappointment over the broken truce in the Israeli-Hamas war and called for the release of remaining hostages. He also mentioned his concern for the lack of basic necessities in Gaza. Additionally, he mentioned his support for the ongoing UN climate conference in Dubai and urged concrete political change to address climate change.
Pope Francis presided over Easter Sunday Mass in St. Peter's Square with over 45,000 pilgrims in attendance. He reflected on the surprise and joy of the women who visited the tomb where Jesus had been laid and found it empty. The Pope encouraged Christians to leave behind their sense of defeat and look with confidence to the future, for Christ is risen and has changed the direction of history. Despite spending three nights in the hospital for bronchitis, Pope Francis has presided over nearly every public engagement on his schedule during the Paschal Triduum.