Celebrating Christmas, pope leads prayers for peace

Published: 2003-12-29

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Presiding over Christmas celebrations at the Vatican, Pope John Paul II pleaded against war and terrorism and urged the world to accept Jesus' message of peace. At his annual midnight Mass in St. Peter's Basilica early on Dec. 25, the pope lamented that "too much blood is still being shed" across the globe. In a Christmas Day blessing some 12 hours later, he invoked Christ's help in overcoming wars and "the scourge of terrorism" at the start of the third millennium. The 83-year-old pontiff looked alert and spoke in a relatively strong voice during the Christmas ceremonies, which were attended by thousands of people in Rome and broadcast to millions of others in some 50 countries. The Vatican's Internet office opened a Christmas page on the Vatican Web site, www.vatican.va, making it possible for computer users to watch midnight Mass live or e-mail the pope a Christmas greeting at: john_paul_ii@vatican.va. Despite reported terrorist alarms in Rome, the papal events went off without a hitch under somewhat tighter security.

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