The pope, who will celebrate his 88th birthday Dec. 17, is not planning to skip any of his normal Christmastime Masses and prayer services but will add an early morning Mass Dec. 29 at Rome’s Rebibbia prison to open a Holy Door there.
Archbishop Diego Ravelli, master of papal liturgical ceremonies, published a list of the pope’s Christmas season liturgies Nov. 25.
With papal services already listed on the Vatican website, the papal liturgies for December and January include (times listed are local time in Rome):
— Dec. 7, consistory for the creation of new cardinals at 4 p.m. in St. Peter’s Basilica.
— Dec. 8, Mass with the new cardinals in St. Peter’s Basilica at 9:30 a.m. and act of veneration for the feast of the Immaculate Conception near the Spanish steps in Rome at 4 p.m.
— Dec. 12, Mass for the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe in St. Peter’s Basilica at 6 p.m.
— Dec. 15, papal trip to Ajaccio, Corsica, including an open-air Mass in the afternoon.
— Dec. 24, opening of Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica at 7 p.m., following by the celebration of the Christmas “Mass during the night.”
— Dec. 25, Christmas message and blessing “urbi et orbi” (to the city and the world) at noon from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica.
— Dec. 26, opening of the Holy Door and Mass for the feast of St. Stephen at Rome’s Rebibbia prison at 9 a.m.
— Dec. 31, evening prayer and “Te Deum” in thanksgiving for the past year in St. Peter’s Basilica at 5 p.m.
— Jan. 1, Mass at 10 a.m. in St. Peter’s Basilica for the feast of Mary, Mother of God, and the World Day of Peace.
— Jan. 6, Mass on the feast of the Epiphany at 10 a.m. in St. Peter’s Basilica.
— Jan. 12, Mass for the feast of the Baptism of the Lord and the baptism of infants at 9:30 a.m. in the Sistine Chapel.