Pope Leo XIV's First Christmas Celebrations at the Vatican: A Return to Tradition
Pope Leo XIV will be celebrating his first Christmas at the Vatican by reviving the tradition of offering Christmas Mass on December 25 in St. Peter’s Basilica. This tradition has not been observed since the pontificate of St. John Paul II. The Christmas celebrations will begin on the evening of December 24 with the Christmas Eve Mass at 10 p.m. local time in St. Peter’s Basilica. The schedule represents a change from recent years, as the Christmas vigil Mass was moved to 7 p.m. during the COVID-19 pandemic, and before 2009, it took place at midnight until Benedict XVI decided to move it to an earlier time.
On December 25 at 10 a.m., Pope Leo XIV will also celebrate the Christmas Day Mass in the Vatican basilica, a custom that has not been observed since the pontificate of St. John Paul II. Following the Mass, at noon, he will impart the traditional “urbi et orbi” (“to the city and the world”) blessing from the central balcony. On December 31, the Pope will preside over first vespers and the Te Deum in thanksgiving for the ending year at 5 p.m. in St. Peter’s Basilica. On January 1, 2026, he will celebrate Mass at 10 a.m. for the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, and the 59th World Day of Peace.
The message for the World Day of Peace, titled “Peace Be with You All: Towards an Unarmed and Disarming Peace,” advocates for a peace that rejects fear, threats, violence, and weapons, and promotes trust, empathy, and hope. The Christmas season will culminate on January 6 with the solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord. Pope Leo XIV will close the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica and celebrate the closing Mass of the Ordinary Jubilee of 2025. The Christmas celebrations will conclude liturgically on January 11, the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, with Mass and the baptism of several children of Vatican employees in the Sistine Chapel.
The Christmas spirit is already present in the Vatican with the lighting of the Christmas tree and the inauguration of the Nativity scene in St. Peter’s Square on December 15. The Nativity scene, called “Nacimiento Gaudium” from Costa Rica, has attracted attention for its depiction of the pregnant Virgin Mary symbolizing anticipation and hope. The figures rest on ribbons bearing the names of children saved from abortion, and messages from hospitalized sick children are displayed in the manger.
After Christmas, Pope Leo XIV will travel to Castel Gandolfo on December 26 for a few days of rest. He will continue to preside over main liturgical events and meet with the faithful on major feast days. Additionally, on January 7–8, he will convene all the cardinals of the world in Rome for his first ordinary consistory since his election.