{"id":71907,"date":"2025-12-28T11:34:13","date_gmt":"2025-12-28T11:34:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/71907\/"},"modified":"2025-12-28T11:34:13","modified_gmt":"2025-12-28T11:34:13","slug":"faithful-return-to-bethlehem-and-pope-leo-xiv-celebrates-his-first-christmas-eve-mass-at-st-peters-national","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/71907\/","title":{"rendered":"Faithful return to Bethlehem and Pope Leo XIV celebrates his first Christmas Eve Mass at St. Peter’s | National"},"content":{"rendered":"

BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) \u2014 Thousands of people flocked to Bethlehem’s Manger Square on Christmas Eve<\/a> as families there and at other sites across the Holy Land heralded a much-needed boost of holiday spirit, after two years of subdued celebrations because of the war in Gaza<\/a>.<\/p>\n

At the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV<\/a> presided over his first Midnight Mass in St. Peter\u2019s Basilica. In his homily, he marveled at the \u201cwisdom\u201d of the Christmas story \u2014 an infant Jesus born to save mankind.<\/p>\n

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Story continues below video<\/p>\n

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