VATICAN - Viewers in 72 countries will see Midnight Mass in St Peter’s presided by Pope John Paul II

ITALY - “The Holy Shroud is the face of Christ. But what is more difficult is to go back in time and show the face of the young Christ”. Orazio Petrosillo, journalist of the “Il Messaggero” and a Vatican expert told Fides

BOLIVIA - Live Nativity Scene on Christmas Eve in Tupiza and “Las Posadas” in Concepcion: various aspects of Christmas in a country of many cultures and peoples

VENEZUELA - Christmas in Venezuela lasts forty days with all kinds of customs and celebrations

VATICAN - The Pope’s teaching at the general audience: “In the Mystery of Christmas we contemplate a ‘leap in quality’ in the history of salvation. Although our sin has separated us from God, in Christ we are offered the gift of a new and fuller communion with Him”

DEMOCRATIC CONGO- UN peacekeepers prevent third war in Congo. Missionaries wish tormented country a Christmas of peace

PHILIPPINES - Poverty, unemployment, natural disasters: trouble seems never ending for the Philippines: in his Christmas Message the Archbishop of Manila recalls Christian hope

CUBA - Some Cubans are rediscovering the meaning of Christmas but many younger ones have never known a traditional Christmas

ECUADOR - Summer time Christmas, widespread devotion to the Baby Jesus and solidarity with the poor

MEXICO - Mexicans revive “Las Posadas” tradition commemorating the journey Mary and Joseph made to Bethlehem and their unsuccessful search for a room at the Inn

VATICAN - The Pope exchanges Christmas greetings with the Curia: “Let us be ever more aware that communion with God and unity among men, beginning with believers, is our priority commitment”

TAGIKISTAN - “Exterior signs of Christmas are still visible here as in other regions but perhaps precisely because of restrictions under the dictatorship, the spirit of Christmas has deepened”: Superior of the Catholic Missio Sui Iuris of Tagikistan reports on local Christmas traditions

HOLY LAND - Christmas : promise of life, joy and peace for the people of Israel and Palestine . Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem issues Christmas Message

SRI LANKA - attack on church isolated episode: Catholic community hopes for a peaceful Christmas free of tension social or religious

TURKEY - Nativity Scene popular with Muslim children too: on Christmas Day, a working day, young and old flock to the Catholic church in Antioch to see the Babe in the Manger

PERU - “This Christmas let us live solidarity and sow hope in our country” : Christmas wish of the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference

VATICAN - The Pope’s reflection at the Angelus prayer: “May Mary help us to live Christmas as an opportunity to savour the joy of giving ourselves to others, the needy in particular”

ITALY - A journalist “investigates” the birth of Jesus: who was that Child in the manger?

GERMANY - “Children have a voice”: 47th ‘Star Singer’ Solidarity Campaign organised by German branch of Pontifical Society for Holy Childhood, Thailand symbol country this year

UGANDA - Car ambush in Paronga northern Uganda, Parish priest injured, government worker and wife of catechist killed: “Blood at Christmas again this year” a missionary told Fides

EGYPT - Increasing Islamic fundamentalist anti-Christian pressure. “No Christmas Mass if anti-Christian violence does not stop

SYRIA - Christmas in Syria: a feast for young people, Christian charity, ecumenism

INDONESIA - Threatened attacks on Churches at Christmas: double security measures in the Moluccas Islands

CHINA - Catholics in Beijing organise Christmas Party for children with disabilities at Hui Ling Centre

MEXICO - “Let us make room for Jesus so that Christmas is not a shiny empty glass ball, but a message of hope for better times for the poor” says Bishop Arizmendi Esquivel

AUSTRALIA - Australia’s Christians protest ‘Christ is being left out of Christmas’: pro Nativity youth campaign through Melbourne 21 December

NICARAGUA - “Only Christ illuminates minds and moves hearts to break down barriers of division” Catholic Bishops say in the Christmas Message

BRAZIL - “We are the image of Christ sent to announce the Good News and restore hope in the only Saviour” says President of the Brazilian Bishops’ Conference

SPAIN - 100.000 children members of Missionary Childhood Missionaria will announce the joy of Christmas on the streets of Spain and thank people on behalf of missionaries for collections for the missions

UGANDA - Cease fire in northern Uganda extended. A Missionary tells Fides: “it would be wonderful if the Infant Jesus were to bring peace so farmers can tend to their crops”

MONGOLIA - New Papal Nuncio visits small Catholic community in Mongolia preparing to celebrate Christmas

AUSTRALIA - Christmas of solidarity: Catholic schools help refugee children from Sudan

INDIA - Christmas of prayer and devotion in Goa, where crowds of pilgrims continue to flock to venerate the relics of St Francis Xavier

CHINA - “People are free to make an offering as they wish during the Christmas Mass”: parish priest at Nang Tang Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Beijing clarifies misunderstanding

CHAD - “All is not lost. We are a people of hope and we see signs of a new dawn appearing” the Catholic Bishops of Chad write in a Message for Christmas

UGANDA - A Christmas with hope for peace in northern Uganda: “but more than one million people are in conditions of extreme poverty” a local missionary told Fides

IRAQ - “At Christmas no festivities but much prayer” says Chaldean Archbishop of Kerkuk -massage for peace in Iraq from Christian leaders

VATICAN - The Pope’s reflection at the Angelus prayer: “A Nativity Scene is a familiar and expressive representation of Christmas. It is an element of Christian culture and art but above all a sign of faith in God who came ‘to dwell among us’ in Bethlehem”

IRAQ - “Cost of living” in Europe and Iraq: in constant danger Christians in Baghdad and Mosulwill spend Christmas behind barred doors

AUSTRALIA - Season of Advent and Christmas a good time to rediscover mission in the family: call from National Director Pontifical Mission Societies Australia