Pope Francis lauded Jesus' humble beginning as a poor baby, as he celebrated his first Christmas Eve as pontiff in St. Peter's Basilica.
As he delivered his homily in the basilica, Francis said that Jesus made himself poor, but all-powerful and vulnerable.
According to the New York Post, Francis has dedicated much of his nine-month-old papacy to drawing attention to the plight of the poor, of children, and other vulnerable members of society.
He noted that the first to receive news of Jesus' birth were shepherds, who in society were considered 'among the last, the outcast,' the report said.
The Argentine-born pope also called Jesus' 'the light who brightens the darkness'.
As he left the basilica in a procession, Francis was preceded by 10 children carrying flowers, a pair of children each from Italy, the Philippines, Lebanon, his native Argentina and Congo, the report added.
