As birthday greetings pour in, Pope Francis is encouraging Christians to prepare their hearts to celebrate the birth of Jesus at Christmas.
Charlotta Smedes – Vatican City
Pope Francis celebrates his 87th birthday on Sunday, December 17.
As he usually does in the run-up to Christmas, the Pope spent the holiday with children and families helped by the Santa Marta charity in the Vatican. Families celebrated it with a birthday cake and song.
The Vatican’s Santa Marta Charitable Society has been providing medical aid and food to children and families in need for more than 90 years, and is based just a stone’s throw from the Pope’s residence inside the Vatican. It was founded in 1922 by Pope Pius XI.
Prepare your hearts for Christmas
In his short speech, Pope Francis thanked those present for their birthday wishes.
He also urged everyone to prepare to receive Jesus when we celebrate his birth at Christmas.
“We have to prepare for the big Christmas party that will be held next week,” he said. “It is the holiday in which we remember when Jesus came among us. He came to be with us.”
The Pope encouraged the children and families gathered in the Paul VI Reception Hall to close their eyes and think about the special grace they would like to ask Jesus this Christmas.
He ended his greetings by wishing a Merry Christmas.
“Merry Christmas to all of you,” he said. “Keep a smile on your faces, and may God grant you everything you want. Thank you!”
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