VATICAN CITY: Pope Benedict ushered in Christmas for the world s 1.3
billion Roman Catholics on Saturday, urging humanity to see through the
superficial glitter and commercialism of the season and rediscover the
real significance of the humble birth of Jesus.The 84-year-old pope,
celebrating the seventh Christmas season of his pontificate, also urged
that those marking the holiday in poverty, suffering or far from home
not be forgotten.At the start of a Christmas Eve service, he was wheeled
up the central aisle of St Peter s Basilica standing on a mobile
platform which he has been using since October.The Vatican says it is to
conserve his strength, allow more people to see him and guard against
attacks such as one on Christmas Eve, 2009, when a woman lunged at him
and knocked him to the ground. He is believed to suffer from arthritis
in the legs.But he seemed to be in good shape during the solemn service
in Christendom s largest church as choirs sang, cantors chanted and
organ music filled the centuries-old basilica.Benedict, wearing
resplendent gold and white vestments, urged his listeners to find peace
in the symbol of the powerless Christ child in a world continually
threatened by violence.'Today Christmas has become a commercial
celebration, whose bright lights hide the mystery of God s humility,
which in turn calls us to humility and simplicity,' he said in his
homily to about 10,000 people in the basilica and millions more watching
on television throughout the world.'Let us ask the Lord to help us see
through the superficial glitter of this season, and to discover behind
it the child in the stable in Bethlehem, so as to find true joy and true
light.'The Christmas story of how Jesus, who Christians believe is the
son of God, was born powerless 'in the poverty of the stable' should
remind everyone of the need for humility.'... let us strip away our
fixation on what is material, on what can be measured and grasped. Let
us allow ourselves to be made simple by the God who reveals himself to
the simple of heart,' he said.PEACEMAKERSThe pope, who earlier placed a
'candle of peace' on the windowsill of his apartments as the life-size
nativity scene in St Peter s Square was inaugurated, called for an end
to violence, for oppressors to put down their 'rods' and for all to
become peacemakers.'God has appeared - as a child. It is in this guise
that he pits himself against all violence and brings a message that is
peace,' he said.'At this hour, when the world is continually threatened
by violence in so many places and in so many different ways, when over
and over again there are oppressors rods and bloodstained cloaks, we
cry out to the Lord...' he said.'...we suffer from the continuing
presence of violence in the world, and so we also ask you: manifest your
power, O God. In this time of ours, in this world of ours, cause the
oppressors rods, the cloaks rolled in blood and the footgear of battle
to be burned, so that your peace may triumph in this world of
ours.'Those celebrating Christmas in comfortable circumstances should
remember those less fortunate.'And let us also pray especially at this
hour for all who have to celebrate Christmas in poverty, in suffering,
as migrants, that a ray of God s kindness may shine upon them, that they
- and we - may be touched by the kindness that God chose to bring into
the world through the birth of his Son in a stable,' he said.On
Christmas Day, the pope will deliver his twice-yearly 'Urbi et Orbi' (to
the city and the world) message and blessing from the central loge of
St Peter s Basilica.He continues his Christmas and New Year s
celebrations on Dec 31 with a year-end Mass of thanksgiving known by its
Latin name Te Deum.On January 1 he marks the Roman Catholic Church s
World Day of Peace, on January 6 he marks the Epiphany and on January 8
will baptise several newborns in the Sistine Chapel.He is due to visit
Mexico and Cuba in March. (Reuters)
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