Pope Francis celebrates Christmas Eve mass in packed St Peter’s Basilica

Pope Francis unveils a statue of Baby Jesus (Alessandro Tarantino/AP)

Pope Francis celebrated Christmas Eve mass before an estimated 1,500 people in St Peter’s Basilica on Friday, going ahead with the service despite the resurgence in Covid-19 cases that has prompted a new vaccine mandate for Vatican employees.

A maskless Francis processed down the central aisle of the basilica as the Sistine Chapel choir sang “Noel”, kicking off the Vatican’s Christmas holiday that commemorates the birth of Jesus in a manger in Bethlehem.