Pope Leo said in a Christmas Eve sermon on Wednesday (December 24) that the story of Jesus being born in a stable because there was no room at an inn should remind Christians that refusing to help the poor and strangers today is tantamount to rejecting God himself.

Leo, who has made care for immigrants a key theme of the first months of his papacy, said in a solemn Mass for Christmas Eve with thousands of faithful in St. Peter's Basilica that God is present in every human being.

"On earth, there is no room for God if there is no room for the human person," said the pope. "To refuse one is to refuse the other."

"Where there is room for the human person, there is room for God," he said. "Even a stable can become more sacred than a temple."

Leo, the first U.S. pope, is celebrating his first Christmas after being elected in May by the world's cardinals to succeed the late Pope Francis.

The pope, who has criticized U.S. President Donald Trump's divisive immigrant crackdown, quoted a line from the late Pope Benedict XVI lamenting that the world does not care for children, the poor or foreigners.

"While a distorted economy leads us to treat human beings as mere merchandise, God becomes like us, revealing the infinite dignity of every person," said Leo.

Leo, 70 and relatively young for a pope, celebrated Wednesday evening's service at 10.00 p.m. (2100 GMT), in a change from previous years, when the event was held earlier.

Outside the basilica, thousands watched along on screens from St. Peter's Square, holding umbrellas and wearing ponchos under a hard rain in Rome. Before Mass, Pope Leo arrived in St. Peter's Square to greet and bless the faithful who were unable to enter the basilica.

''Basilica of St. Peter's is very large, but unfortunately, it is not large enough to receive all of you. I admire, and respect, and thank you for your courage, and your wanting to be here this evening'', the pope said.

On Thursday, the pope will celebrate a Christmas Day Mass and deliver a twice-yearly "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the world) message and blessing.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

VATICAN CITY (DECEMBER 24, 2025) (VATICAN MEDIA - Access all)

1. CROSS BEING CARRIED IN PROCESSION

2. VARIOUS OF ENTRANCE PROCESSION INCLUDING POPE LEO

3. FAITHFUL LOOKING ON

4. POPE STANDING

5. BABY JESUS STATUE COVERED BY A VEIL

6. VARIOUS OF POPE STANDING AND PRAYING

7. POPE WALKING

8. BABY JESUS STATUE BEING UNVEILED

9. POPE KISSING BABY JESUS STATUE

10. MASS IN PROGRESS

11. BABY JESUS STATUE / CHILDREN

12. VARIOUS OF MASS IN PROGRESS

13. VARIOUS OF VIRGIN MARY STATUE

14. VIEW OF ST.PETER'S BASILICA

15. POPE MAKING SIGN OF CROSS

16. FAITHFUL SINGING

17. VARIOUS OF MASS IN PROGRESS

18. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) POPE LEO SAYING (STARTS WITH VIEW OF ALTAR):

"As long as the night of error obscures this providential truth, then 'there is no room for others either, for children, for the poor, for the stranger'. These words of Pope Benedict XVI remain a timely reminder that on earth, there is no room for God if there is no room for the human person."

19. FLOWERS / VIEW OF ALTAR

20. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) POPE LEO SAYING:

''To refuse one is to refuse the other. Yet, where there is room for the human person, there is room for God; even a stable can become more sacred than a temple, and the womb of the Virgin Mary become the Ark of the New Covenant."

21. FAITHFUL LOOKING ON

22. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) POPE LEO SAYING:

"While a distorted economy leads us to treat human beings as mere merchandise, God becomes like us, revealing the infinite dignity of every person. While humanity seeks to become “god” in order to dominate others, God chooses to become man in order to free us from every form of slavery."

23. FAITHFUL LOOKING ON

24. VARIOUS OF POPE BLESSING CHILD

25. SWISS GUARD STANDING

26. MASS IN PROGRESS

27. POPE HOLDING BABY JESUS STATUE

28. WOMAN PRAYING

29. VARIOUS OF POPE CARRYING BABY JESUS STATUE TO NATIVITY SCENE

30. VARIOUS OF BABY JESUS STATUE BEING PLACED IN THE NATIVITY SCENE

31. VARIOUS OF POPE PRAYING IN FRONT OF NATIVITY SCENE

32. NATIVITY SCENE

33. MASS IN PROGRESS

34. VARIOUS OF PROCESSION

35. VARIOUS OF POPE LEAVING

36. VIEW OF ST.PETER'S BASILICA

ROME, ITALY (DECEMBER 24, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF FAITHFUL GATHERING NEAR ST.PETER'S SQUARE

2. ST.PETER'S DOME

3. VARIOUS OF FAITHFUL HOLDING UMBRELLAS

4. WOMAN TAKING PICTURE OF ST.PETER'S BASILICA

5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) FAITHFUL FROM TEXAS, USA, SABRINA BENAVIDES, SAYING:

''This Christmas, I'm praying for everybody, the less fortunate, for just a better life for everybody.''

6. VARIOUS OF POLICE IN ST.PETER'S SQUARE

7. CHRISTMAS TREE

8. (SOUNDBITE)(Spanish) FAITHFUL FROM COSTA RICA, MARIA SALAS ALFANO, SAYING:

''I hope that this year God will give us much wisdom, much faith, and much peace in the world, with much love, and that people will share love, which is what is lacking at the moment.''

9. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE QUEUING FOR SECURITY CHECKS

10. VARIOUS OF WOMAN POSING FOR PICTURE / FOUNTAIN

11. (SOUNDBITE) (English) FAITHFUL FROM INDIA, SHWETA (SURNAME UNKNOWN) SAYING:

''Yes, there is a lot of war, but we should keep hope in ourselves that one day everything will be better. So that is the Christmas we are celebrating for.''

12. VARIOUS OF FAITHFUL IN ST.PETER'S SQUARE

13. NATIVITY SCENE

14. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE TAKING PICTURES

15. (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) FAITHFUL FROM BRASIL, DAOMOLIN (SURNAME UNKNOWN) SAYING:

''It's a lifelong dream. I've always dreamed of celebrating Midnight Mass here in the chapel, in St. Peter's Square. So it's a lifelong dream for me. It's Christianity crystallising. That's what it would be.''

16. VIEW OF ST.PETER'S SQUARE

VATICAN CITY (DECEMBER 24, 2025) (VATICAN MEDIA - Access all)

17. (SOUNDBITE) (English and Italian) POPE LEO SAYING (STARTS WITH POPE ARRIVING IN ST.PETER'S SQUARE):

''Good evening and welcome, everyone. Basilica of St. Peter's is very large, but unfortunately, it is not large enough to receive all of you. I admire, and respect, and thank you for your courage and your wanting to be here this evening. Thank you so much for being here this evening, even in this weather. We want to celebrate Christmas together. Jesus Christ, who was born for us, brings us peace and God's love. Best wishes to all of you. Follow the celebration on the screens. May God protect you and bless all your families. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen. Best wishes to all.''

18. FAITHFUL IN SQUARE

19. POPE LEAVING