双语新闻：教皇方济各在梵蒂冈主持圣诞夜弥撒 Pope Celebrates Christmas Mass at Vatican

星期二，教皇方济各在梵蒂冈首次主持圣诞夜弥撒，来自世界各地的基督徒参加了宗教仪式，纪念耶稣诞生。

在圣彼得大教堂，现年77岁的教皇呼吁人们摒弃傲慢、欺骗与私欲。尽管任职时间还不长，教皇方济各向来强调简朴和谦卑。作为全世界12亿天主教徒的领袖，教皇敦促信众重新坚定对“上帝以及我们兄弟姐妹的爱”。

早些时候，成千上万朝圣者到达约旦河西岸城市伯利恒，庆祝基督教最神圣的日子。据圣经记载，伯利恒是耶稣的诞生地。

在伯利恒的马槽广场，一位圣诞老人在圣诞教堂外面迎接到访者，基督徒们相信，圣母玛利亚就是在此地生下耶稣。

Pope Francis celebrated his first Christmas Eve Mass at the Vatican Tuesday, as Christians from across the globe gathered for religious services marking the birth of Jesus.

In St. Peter's Basilica, the 77-year-old Argentine pontiff, who has stressed simplicity and humility during his brief papacy, urged people to turn away from pride, deceit and self-seeking. The leader of the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics urged the faithful to instead reaffirm their love for "God, our brothers and sisters."

Earlier, thousands of Christian pilgrims descended on the West Bank town of Bethlehem -- the biblical birthplace of Jesus -- to celebrate Christianity's highest holy day.

A giant figure of Santa Claus greeted visitors in Manger Square, outside the centuries-old Church of the Nativity -- the site where Christians believe the Virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus.