Pope Francis on the Feast of Epiphany

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis celebrates a solemn mass Monday morning to commemorate the Feast of the Epiphany, the coming of the three Magi who paid homage to the Christ Child born in Bethlehem some two thousand years ago.

Following the 10:00 a.m. liturgy in St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis will greet pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square at noon for the recitation of the traditional Angelus prayer.

The Director of the Holy See’s Press Office, Fr. Federico Lombardi sj has confirmed that Pope Francis has accepted the invitation of a local Rome parish to visit its performance of a live Nativity scene. Fr. Lombardi explains that the visit Monday afternoon to the Church of Sant'Alfonso Maria de' Liguori, in north Rome will be a private one. Parish priest Don Dario told Italian media that they had written to the Pope “and he wanted to be present for this community event.”