Pope to have Christmas lunch with poor

(December 14, 2010) Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday, December 26 will offer a Chrismas lunch to persons from various Roman communities assisted by the Congregation of the Missionaries of Charity, the Order founded by Mother Teresa of Kolkata. The lunch will be held in the atrium of Vatican’s Pope Paul VI hall on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Blessed Mother Teresa. Mother Teresa was born 26th August 1910, and this year completes the 100th anniversary of her birth.
Later on Wednesday evening, 5th January, the eve of the Epiphany, Pope Benedict will visit children recovering in the pediatric ward of Gemelli Polyclinic, a Catholic Hospital in Rome and bless a centre set up to cure children suffering from “spina bifida “ a spinal defect that involves the incomplete development of the spinal cord. The Pope will also distribuite Christmas gifts to the children.