Hundreds queuing at Vatican on Pope Leo's first Christmas - AP Explains

Описание: (24 Dec 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Vatican City - 24 December 2025
1. Various of Christmas tree in front of St Peter's Basilica
2. Nativity scene
3. Various of faithful with umbrellas queuing for entry to Christmas Eve Mass
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Nicole Winfield, The Associated Press:
"It's an unusually rainy Christmas Eve in Rome that has cut down on the number of people who would normally be coming here to check out the life-size nativity scene and Christmas tree in St Peter's Square. Many people are home now furiously preparing the traditional fish dinner that many Italians have for Christmas Eve. We here though at the Vatican are waiting for Pope Leo to celebrate his first Midnight Mass as Pope. That will be getting underway at around 10 p.m. in the basilica. The pope will come back a few hours later after a short night's sleep to deliver his Urbi et Orbi blessing. That's his speech kind of assessing the world on Christmas Day where he's expected to offer a prayer for peace. He'll have a few days off at the papal country house in Castel Gandolfo and then he'll be back at the Vatican."
5. Various of Christmas tree in St Peter's Square
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Nicole Winfield, The Associated Press:
"Pope Leo has urged world leaders to honour a 24 hours truce in all the conflicts raging around the world for Christmas Day. He expressed sadness this week though that Russia at least has said it will not honor it."
7. Various of faithful with umbrellas queuing for entry to Christmas Eve Mass
8. Various of Christmas decorations
STORYLINE:
Hundreds of Catholic faithful were queuing five hours ahead of Pope Leo XIV's first Christmas Eve Mass on Wednesday despite heavy rain forcing them to shelter under umbrellas.

The pope was expected to offer a prayer for peace in his speech at the Mass, the Associated Press' Nicole Winfield explained.

Leo had already urged world leaders to commit to a 24-hour truce across conflict zones on Christmas Day.

AP video shot by Paolo Santalucia

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