Pope Francis celebrates Christmas Midnight Mass

Vatican City: Pope Francis celebrated the fifth Christmas Midnight Mass of his pontificate where he highlighted the Biblical story of Joseph and Mary, the parents of Jesus Christ. The pontiff on Sunday night said that Christ's parents found no place to stay in Bethlehem except for a lowly manger and noted that Christian faith demands that foreigners be welcomed, reports Efe news. Amid heavy security at the solemn Mass at which Catholics commemorate the birth of Jesus, which this year was not celebrated at midnight but it rather began at 9.30 p.m., Francis delivered his remarks to about 10,000 people inside the St. Peter's Basilica here, while thousands of others followed the service outside. The shepherds who first welcomed Baby Jesus were "forced to live on the edges of society" and were considered undesirable foreigners, Francis said, adding "Everything about them generated mistrust.

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