Pope Francis visits Benedict XVI ahead of busy Christmas
Dec. 24, 2013: Pope Francis gearing up for his first Christmas at the Vatican as
pontiff, began by exchanging Christmas wishes with his predecessor, Pope-emeritus
Benedict XVI. Pope Francis paid an early Christmas visit to his predecessor, Pope-emeritus
Benedict XVI, on Monday in the monastery Mater Ecclesia in the Vatican gardens. The
two warmly greeted each other and prayed briefly in Pope Benedict’s chapel. Then
they had a private conversation and exchanged Christmas wishes. Pope Francis also
greeted the small staff that cares for his predecessor. On Tuesday, the Vatican’s
life-sized Nativity Scene, located in St. Peter’s Square, will be inaugurated. This
year’s manger scene is a typical Neapolitan depiction of the birth of Jesus and was
designed to recall the first crèche of St. Francis of Assisi. On Tuesday evening,
Pope Francis will preside at the Christmas Vigil at St. Peter’s Basilica. Thousands
of pilgrims are expected to attend the Mass, which will begin at 9:30 p.m., Rome time,
and end at around midnight. At noon on Christmas Day, the Pope will pronounce the
traditional Christmas Day address, Urbi et Orbi. Pope Francis will once again address
the faithful at a noon Angelus the following day, on the Feast of St. Stephen.