Pope Leo XIV Marks First Christmas by Restoring Traditional Midnight Mass and Advocating for Global Peace
Pope Leo XIV is set to celebrate his inaugural Christmas as pontiff by reviving the tradition of holding Christmas Mass on December 25th in St. Peter’s Basilica, moving the Christmas Eve service back to a 10 p.m. start time. His celebrations will also feature the traditional "urbi et orbi" blessing on Christmas Day at noon. The Pope has centered his first Christmas message around the theme of peace, evident in his Christmas card featuring the quote, “The Christmas of the Lord is the Christmas of Peace.” Furthermore, his upcoming message for the World Day of Peace on January 1, 2026, will strongly advocate for disarmament and rejecting threats. These festive and pastoral acts signal a return to pre-pandemic liturgical norms under the new Pope.
2 months ago
Pope Leo XIV is reviving the tradition of Christmas Day Mass at 10 a.m. in St. Peter’s Basilica, last celebrated by St. John Paul II in 1994.1 2 3
The Christmas Eve vigil Mass returned to 10 p.m., shifting from earlier pandemic-adjusted times and Benedict XVI's 2009 change from midnight.1 2
Celebrations begin December 24 with the vigil Mass, followed by Christmas Day Mass and the "urbi et orbi" blessing at noon.1 2
Additional events include Angelus on December 26 and 28, a rare New Year's Eve general audience (last in 1975), first vespers and Te Deum on December 31, and Mass for the World Day of Peace on January 1.2
The Pope's Christmas card features a quote from St. Leo the Great: “The Christmas of the Lord is the Christmas of Peace.”2
His World Day of Peace message, “Peace Be with You All: Towards an Unarmed and Disarming Peace,” rejects violence and weapons while promoting trust and empathy.1 2
On January 6, Epiphany, Pope Leo XIV will close St. Peter’s Holy Door at 9:30 a.m. Mass, ending the Ordinary Jubilee inaugurated by Pope Francis.1 2
This marks only the second time in history a different pope closes a jubilee, following 1700.1
Other papal basilicas' Holy Doors close beforehand; celebrations end January 11 with baptisms in the Sistine Chapel.1 2
St. Peter’s Square features a Christmas tree lit December 15, overseen by Sister Raffaella Petrini.1
The Paul VI Hall's “Nacimiento Gaudium” from Costa Rica shows a pregnant Virgin Mary until December 25, with 28,000 white ribbons for children saved from abortion and 420 yellow ones from sick children.1
In his December 24 homily, Pope Leo urged welcoming Jesus in every human life, including the poor, migrants, and vulnerable, quoting Benedict XVI on making room for others.6
He critiqued economies treating people as merchandise and highlighted God's power in weakness, calling for hope amid violence.6
The Pope plans rest at Castel Gandolfo from December 26 while maintaining key liturgies.1 2
His first ordinary consistory with all cardinals follows January 7-8.1
How does Pope Leo XIV’s restoration of midnight Mass reflect Catholic tradition?
The Midnight Mass, also known as the "Mass of the Shepherds," occupies a central place in the Church's liturgical celebration of Christmas, embodying a rich historical and theological tradition that stretches back to the early centuries of Christianity. Far from requiring restoration, this practice has been continuously observed and emphasized in Roman liturgy, reflecting the Church's fidelity to her ancient customs while adapting to pastoral needs. While no provided sources document a specific "restoration" of Midnight Mass by Pope Leo XIV, the rite's enduring form—permitted and regulated in current liturgical norms—mirrors longstanding traditions originating in Jerusalem and Rome. This analysis explores how the Midnight Mass aligns with Catholic heritage through its historical development, mystical significance, and liturgical prescriptions.
The roots of Midnight Mass trace to late-fourth-century Jerusalem, where the pilgrim Etheria described a solemn vigil on the vigil of Epiphany (January 6), which then encompassed the Nativity. The faithful processed to Bethlehem's Nativity cave at night, returning to Jerusalem for offices and Eucharist at dawn. By the sixth century, Rome imitated these observances: the pope celebrated at St. Mary Major (with crib relics by the seventh century), St. Anastasia, and St. Peter's, evolving into the three Christmas Masses still labeled in the Missal by their stations—"at the Crib at St Mary Major," "at St Anastasia," and "at St Mary Major." This structure arose practically from distances to basilicas but gained mystical depth, symbolizing Christ's "triple birth": eternal from the Father (midnight), incarnate from Mary (dawn), and spiritual in souls (daytime).
Vigils preceding major feasts, including Christmas Eve, predate these developments, involving prayer, Scripture, and sometimes evening Mass to prepare the faithful spiritually. Abuses like street revelry led to reforms, shifting vigils earlier, but the nocturnal essence persisted, as affirmed by councils and popes from St. Leo I to Nicholas I. Pope Pius V's Quo Primum (1570) standardized the Missal, preserving these rites after Trent's collation with ancient codices. Thus, Midnight Mass reflects not innovation but restoration to patristic norms, a continuity upheld against schismatic alterations.
The Midnight Mass proclaims the paradox at Christmas' heart: the conquering hero of Isaiah—"Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace"—born powerless in a manger amid imperial rule. As the world sleeps, Christians "open that present, the gift of the Word made flesh," joining the angels' Gloria: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace." Pope John Paul II highlighted this as the "Mass of the Shepherds," uniting the universal Church in song and literature born of St. Luke's Gospel.
Liturgical texts reinforce this: midnight's Introit evokes Psalm 2 ("Thou art my Son... from the womb before the day-star I begot thee"), dawn's the light of the incarnate Word, and daytime's Christ the King ("A child is born to us... whose government is upon his shoulder"). The Homiletic Directory urges preaching this contrast, drawing people to late-night worship. Popular piety enhances it: singing the Roman Martyrology's birth announcement, universal Prayers of the Faithful (including the poor), and kissing the Child Jesus in the crib.
The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) codifies this tradition post-Vatican II, allowing all priests three Masses on Christmas "at their proper times": vigil, midnight, dawn, daytime. This echoes Leo XIII's Quod Anniversarius mandating uniform parish observance without omitting proper propers. A solemn Office of Readings vigil precedes midnight, omitting Compline for participants. Adaptations ensure pastoral effectiveness, harmonizing piety with liturgy.
No sources suggest suppression warranting Leo XIV's intervention; rather, norms protect integrity (Orientales Omnes Ecclesias). If any "restoration" occurred, it would reaffirm this unbroken chain, prioritizing ancient rites over novelty.
Today's Midnight Mass retains its "strong resonance in popular piety," inviting global unity—bishops and priests joining the Bishop of Rome. It counters secular excesses, recalling vigil fasts' discipline. By emphasizing the poor in offerings and multilingual prayer, it evangelizes universally.
In summary, the Midnight Mass profoundly reflects Catholic tradition's depth—historical vigils, theological paradox, and regulated multiplicity—fostering encounter with the Incarnate Word. Absent direct sources on Leo XIV's actions, this rite stands as living patrimony, inviting fidelity today.