The Te Deum is the last appointment of the year at the Vatican; it is the prayer to give thanks to God for the past year.
A year in Rome has been a year of preparation for the Jubilee, both on a spiritual and urban level.
The Pope highlighted the fact that the city has thus rediscovered its vocation of service, of welcoming pilgrims. More than 30 million pilgrims are expected to come to the Jubilee in 2025.
POPE FRANCIS
Rome is called to welcome everyone so that all may recognise themselves as children of God as well as brothers and sisters among themselves. At this moment, therefore, we want to raise our thanks to the Lord because he has allowed us to work, and to work hard, and above all because he has allowed us to do so with this great sense, with this vast horizon which is the hope of fraternity.
At the end, the Pope made one of his most awaited outings for pilgrims: a visit to the crib in St. Peter's Square, where they can see him up close and greet him.
The Pope usually stays there to contemplate for a few moments. This year's crib comes from a town near Venice by the community of Grado. The crib recreates the traditional fishermen's hut on the lagoon from the early 20th century.
The following day Pope Francis celebrated Mass for the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, where he launched a renewed appeal against abortion and euthanasia.
POPE FRANCIS
This is why I call for a firm commitment to promote respect for the dignity of human life from conception to natural death, so that each person can love his or her own life and look to the future with hope.
The Pope reflected on the need to help the most vulnerable people because they are not strangers but brothers and sisters.
