In his Christmas Eve mass at St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Benedict XVI blasted the commercialization of the holiday season and urged Catholics to look beyond the “superficial glitter” in their faith. The Christmas Eve mass has been moved up from midnight in recent years due to the pope’s busy schedule on Christmas Day, and in another concession this year, Benedict walked down St. Peter’s central aisle on a moving platform—leading many to wonder about his health. This is the first of a busy two-week schedule of Christmas-related public appearances, which include the traditional Christmas Day “Urbi et Orbi” speech from St. Peter’s Square in Rome and the New Year’s Eve vespers services.
