8mm
Posted on 12/24/2006 4:02:00 PM PST by NYer
VATICAN CITY (AFP) - Pope Benedict XVI began celebrating Midnight Mass at Saint Peter's Basilica before a throng of pilgrims from around the world marking the birth of Jesus Christ.
The mass was being broadcast on 73 television stations in 47 countries, with another 11 news outlets buying rights to images or rebroadcasts, according to the Vatican.
The mass in Latin, the universal language of the Roman Catholic Church, was to be punctuated by readings in Italian, English, French, German, Spanish and Polish. The traditional prayers of the faithful were to be done in Portuguese, Arabic and the Philippine language Tagalog.
The pontiff, celebrating his second Midnight Mass since his election in April 2005, was to deliver his homily in Italian.
At noon (1100 GMT) on Monday, the pope was to pronounce the traditional Urbi et Orbi (to the city and the world) message from the balcony of Saint Peter's, to an even greater audience watching 102 television stations in 63 countries.
On Sunday the pope used his pre-Christmas Angelus blessing to underline the "value of every human life" amid controversy over the death of Italian right-to-die campaigner Piergiorgio Welby. p>"The birth of Christ helps us to be aware of what human life is worth, the value of every human life, from his first moment to his natural decline," the pope said.
Welby, who died on Wednesday, had a civil funeral in Rome on Sunday after Italy's Roman Catholic church refused religious rites for the muscular dystrophy victim.
Welby's activism has sparked a debate on euthanasia in overwhelmingly Roman Catholic Italy, where it is punishable by up to 15 years in prison, although patients are legally allowed to refuse care.
MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE!
Yes, it was the Vatican's Mass --- check EWTN or if you have Direct TV, it's described as being from 1997 and that is incorrect. It's this year's Mass with Pope Benedict XVI.
+
If you want on (or off) this Catholic and Pro-Life ping list, let me know!
Merry Christmas NYer and thank you for all that you do here.
Absolutely! As my tagline says, "Long live Benedict XVI!"
I hope your Christmas was joyful.
Merry Christmas to you both with gratitude for all you do.
8mm
+
If you want on (or off) this Catholic and Pro-Life ping list, let me know!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.