Pope Benedict condemns 'superficial glitter' that surrounds Christmas as he calls for an end to bloodshed around the world during mass at St Peter's

By GARETH FINIGHAN



Call for peace: Pope Benedict XVI delivers the 'Urbi et Orbi' blessing from the balcony of St. Peter's basilica at the Vatican



Pope Benedict XVI called for an end to the bloodshed in Syria and the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks in his Christmas message today, an appeal for peace that was challenged by deadly attacks on two Nigerian churches.

He made the plea the morning after Christmas celebrations got underway with a midnight mass service at a packed St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican.

The Pontiff used his Christmas ceremonies to condemn the 'superficial glitter' that now imbues the holiday.

He urged the faithful to discover its true meaning and remember the 'child in the stable' instead of being consumed by the commercial side of Christmas.



Today Benedict delivered his 'Urbi et Orbi' speech (Latin for 'to the city and to the world') from the central loggia of St. Peter's Basilica overlooking a sun-drenched piazza below, before thousands of jubilant tourists and pilgrims, and hundreds of colourful Swiss Guards and Italian military bands.

The 84-year-old pope, fresh off a late-night Christmas Eve Mass, said he prayed that the birth of Jesus, which Christmas celebrates, would send a message to all who need to be saved from hardships.

He cited refugees from the Horn of Africa and flood victims in Thailand, among others, and called for greater political dialogue in Myanmar, and stability in Iraq, Afghanistan and Africa's Great Lakes region.



Message: Pope Benedict XVI blesses the faithful from the central loggia of St. Peter's Basilica. He urged the faithful to discover its true meaning and remember the 'child in the stable' instead of being consumed by the commercial side of Christmas



He said he prayed that God would help the Israelis and the Palestinians resume talks.

'May he bring an end to the violence in Syria, where so much blood has already been shed,' he said.

The pope didn't mention the attacks on churches in Nigeria. Early today, an explosion ripped through a Catholic church during Christmas Mass near Nigeria's capital Abuja, killing at least 10 people. A second explosion struck near a church in Nigeria's restive central city of Jos.The traditional service began with a papal procession through the church shortly after 10pm local time.



Christian celebration: Pope Benedict conducts holy mass at St. Peter's Basilica to mark the nativity of Jesus Christ



Wearing cream and gold colored vestments, Pope Benedict proceeded into St. Peter’s Basilica last night standing on a moving platform - a new concession to spare the 84-year-old pontiff the fatigue of having to walk up and down the long centre aisle.

In his sermon, Benedict lamented that Christmas has become an increasingly commercial celebration that obscures the simplicity of the message of Christ’s birth.



Highlight of the Christian calendar: Pope Benedict conducts the service under the dome of St Peter's



The Christmas Eve mass was moved up to 10pm from midnight several years ago to spare the Pope a late night. This morning he must deliver the important Christmas Day 'Urbi et Orbi' speech, Latin for 'to the city and the world'. He will also offer brief Christmas greetings in 65 languages.

The speech, delivered from the central loggia of St. Peter’s overlooking the piazza, is usually a survey of sorts of the hardships and wars confronting the globe. It is understood that this year he will base his message on the Arab Spring and the global economic crisis.



Papal blessing: During the service, Pope Benedict highlighted his concern that the true meaning of Christmas had been lost



There follows an intense two weeks of Christmas-related public appearances that will test the pontiff’s stamina amid signs that fatigue is starting to slow him down.

Hours before the evening Mass began, Benedict lit a candle in his studio window overlooking St. Peter’s Square in a traditional sign of peace. A few hundred people had gathered in the square to watch the candle lighting and the unveiling of the Vatican’s larger-than-life nativity scene.

Next weekend, the Pope will preside over a New Year’s Eve vespers service, followed by a New Year’s Day Mass. A few days later he’ll celebrate Epiphany Mass followed by his traditional baptising of babies in the Vatican’s frescoed Sistine Chapel.



Nativity scene: Spectators look on during the unveiling ceremony of the crib in St Peter's Square earlier yesterday evening



Sacred site: Nuns pray before the start of the Christmas mass in Saint Peter's Square



Security was tight at last night's celebration, as it has been in recent years. In both 2008 and 2009 there were Christmas Eve security breaches, in which a woman with a history of psychiatric problems and wearing a telltale red sweatshirt jumped the wooden security barrier along the basilica’s central aisle.

In 2008, the Pope’s security detail blocked her from getting to Benedict. But in 2009, she managed to grab Benedict’s vestments and pulled him to the ground. The Pope was unhurt and continued along with the service, but a French cardinal who was nearby fell and broke his hip.







source: dailymail