There is no need to be afraid, because the door is not just open, but wide open: this is how the traditional opens Pope Francis' Christmas 2024 message before blessing of the City and the World. Bergoglio's appeal is for reconciliation with oneself, in order to then be able to do so with the 'enemies'. In fact, the Holy Father places emphasis on the 'power' of misericordia divinawhich can untie knots, break down walls, sweep away hatred and vengeful desires. We must return to God, who loves and forgives us, reconcile with him. “Jesus is the Door that the merciful Father opened in the middle of the world, in the middle of history, so that we can all return to him“, explained Pope Francis.
The faithful are lost sheep who need a shepherd and a door to go through to return to their father. That door is represented by Jesus, but we must not make the mistake of stopping on the threshold, but have the courage to go beyond it, questioning ourselves. Therefore, we must put divisions behind us and abandon ourselves to the one who is the “prince of peace”. So, the final invitation of Papa Francesco nell’Urbi et Orbi Natale 2024 is to cross that door to become “pilgrims of hope“, but also to silence the weapons where war speaks. (updated by Silvana Palazzo)
THE URBI ET ORBI BLESSING WITH POPE FRANCIS FOR CHRISTMAS 2024: INFO LIVE TV AND VIDEO STREAMING, THE PROGRAM
As a direct consequence of tonight's peace announcement, Pope Francis is preparing to Urbi et Orbi Blessing for Holy Christmas 2024 from the Central Loggia of St. Peter's Basilica, where since yesterday afternoon with the Opening of the Holy Door officially marked the start of the 2025 Jubilee. As per tradition, the Holy Mass on Christmas night sees the announcement of the coming of Christ into the world in the humility and intimacy of the cave of Bethlehem: on the morning of today 25 December 2024, after the Holy Mass of the day celebrated in all the parishes of the world (in Rome it was the Vicar of the Diocese Card. Reina who celebrated the Eucharist in the Basilica of the Holy XII Apostles, ed.), here the worldwide connection with the Urbi et Orbi Blessing and the direct message from Pope Francis.
The appointment with the celebrations of Holy Christmas starts at 10.55 am with the Holy Mass on Rai 1 presided over by Cardinal Reina, followed by at 12 pm here is the live TV and video streaming with the message of Pope Francis: after the flu of the last few days, the Holy Father has recovered his strength in time for the Christmas Eve Mass and the Urbi et Orbi Christmas 2024. It will therefore be the Pontiff who will preside over the rite in the Vatican which, in addition to live TV on Rai 1, it is obviously always available – if you are not present in St. Peter's Square – with the connection in live video streaming from the RaiPlay app and from the portal RaiPlay-Rai 1in addition to Vatican News YouTube channel. For the Solemnity of Saint Stephen instead the double appointment with Pope Francis is scheduled for tomorrow morning at 9 con the opening of the Holy Door and Mass in the Rebibbia PrisonWhile at 12 pm the Angelus of the Protomartyr Stephen as always he is summoned to St. Peter's Square.
WHAT IS THE BLESSING “TO THE CITY AND THE WORLD”: THE FULL TEXT OF THE INVOCATION
Before the message expected by Christianity for the solemnity of Christmas 2024, and even before the solemn Blessing, the liturgical tradition of the Catholic Church for the Nativity and Resurrection after Easter includes the prayer “to the city and to the world”the literal translation for the Latin “Urbi et Orbi”. It is one of the oldest prayers of Christianity, read by the Pontiff from the Central Loggia of St. Peter's Basilica, with a formula that grants those listening (in the Square but also live on Rai 1 and video streaming) full indulgence and absolution from all sins obviously with the addition of the following Sacrament of Confession.
Con the start of the Jubilee, the plenary indulgence is already granted by the Church for all the pilgrims who cross the Holy Doors located globally in Basilicas, Cathedrals and Sanctuaries: the rite of the Urbi et Orbi Blessing takes inspiration from 13th century with the Pontificate of Gregorythen repeated after each election to the pontifical throne and on the occasions of Christmas, Easter and other moments exceptionally decided by the Holy Father. With the «grace and counsel of the Holy Spirit», the Urbi et Orbi Blessing invites a full conversion of life and “falls” in parallel to central theme of the Jubilee Holy Year 2025 dedicated to Christian hopefounded precisely on the eternal peace guaranteed by the Coming of the Lord into the world. Here you can find the full text of the Urbi et Orbi Blessing, here instead (as soon as it is published by the Vatican) Pope Francis' message for Christmas 2024.
THE HOPE OF CHRISTMAS IN THE PEACE OF JESUS: POPE FRANCIS WITH THE “NEW” BLESSING FOR THE JUBILEE
After the announcement yesterday with the final blessing following the Opening of the Holy Door, here is therefore for this morning a second invocation with prayer traditionally dedicated to the Christmas message to be spread “to the city and to the world”, but which on the occasion of the Jubilee 2025 becomes a further “megaphone” for announcing peace to all humanity. As he said again Pope Francis in the Angelus of the last Sunday of Advent 2024, Our Lady Blessed among all women testifies to us every Christmas that gratitude and amazement for remaining in front of the «mystery of life that is born».
The Christian hope at the center of the 2025 Jubilee is “permitted” precisely by the Coming of Christ into the worldKing of Kings, called to convert humanity starting from the humble manger under the Comet Star: as the Pope explained in the message for the Urbi et Orbi Blessing of Christmas 2023, the gaze and heart of Christians of every era is «fixed in Bethlehem», where unfortunately we are witnessing pain and suffering just as much a year ago as today torment of war in the Middle East. In the Holy Mass celebrated by Patriarch Pizzaballa at the parish of Gaza a few days before Christmas, the Italian Cardinal recalled the closeness of the Church to the people devastated by the war: in having remained «Christians with Jesus» close to their people, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem reiterated to the parish that has been under the weight of bombs for over a year «You are the light of our Church and Christmas is precisely the celebration of Light». In the announcement of the victory of Jesus over death, promised since Christmas as the “Messiah, savior of the world”, the message of the Church arrives from Bethlehem and towards the whole of Christianity: «Jesus is always here with you».
