Pope sends message to Chinese Catholics
The Pope urged loyal Catholics in China to have courage in the face of communist limits on religious freedom and conscience in a Christmas Day message highlighting the tensions between Beijing and the Vatican.
Benedict XVI used his traditional holiday speech, delivered from the central balcony of St Peter’s Basilica to tourists and pilgrims in the rain-soaked square, to encourage people living in the world’s troublespots to take hope from the “comforting message” of Christmas.
