The Filipino community in Rome will celebrate the traditional Aguinaldo Mass with an unusual celebrant: Pope Francis.
While St. Peter’s Basilica hosted such Mass for Filipinos a few times in the past, the Dec. 15 celebration will be the first-ever to be presided over by a pope according to CBCP News.
“This is the fourth year that we celebrate it in the basilica but the first time that the Pope will be the one to preside,” said Scalabrinian Fr. Ricky Gente of the Filipino Chaplaincy in Rome.