VATICAN - Pope Francis is set to deliver his first Christmas message as Pope to the world's one billion Catholic population at the Vatican on Wednesday.
The Roman Pontiff is expected to refer to global poverty, youth unemployment and care for the elderly as issues he has shown concern about as of late.
He will also give the traditional solemn "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the world) apostolic blessing.
The LIVE event will start at 6:00 p.m. (Manila time) on Wednesday, December 25, 2013.
In his homily in the Christmas Eve Mass, Francis said that suffering is only darkness for those whose hearts are not open to God.
"God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all" (1 Jn 1:5). Yet on the part of the people there are times of both light and darkness, fidelity and infidelity, obedience, and rebellion; times of being a pilgrim people and times of being a people adrift," Francis said.
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In our personal history too, there are both bright and dark moments, lights and shadows. If we love God and our brothers and sisters, we walk in the light; but if our heart is closed, if we are dominated by pride, deceit, self-seeking, then darkness falls within us and around us," the pope added.