Pope Francis has celebrated his first Christmas Eve midnight mass at St Peter’s in the Vatican. <br /><br />He was assisted by more than 300 cardinals, bishops and priests. <br /><br />Around ten thousand people packed the basilica, and hundreds of others watched outside. <br /><br />In his homily, Pope Francis urged people to lead humble lives.<br /><br />“If our heart is closed, if we are dominated by pride, deceit, and the constant pursuit of self interest, then darkness falls within and around us,” he said. <br /><br />In a break with tradition, Pope Francis himself performed a task usually given to an aide. <br /><br />He carried a figurine of the baby Jesus to the altar at the start of the mass. <br /><br />The statue of Jesus was then placed in the manger of a life-size nativity scene behind the altar.
