Praying with the Pope, ‘Urbi et Orbi’ 2023 Christmas message
Watch Pope Francis deliver the Urbi et Orbi blessing
Pope Francis delivers his traditional Christmas blessing from St. Peter's Square.
Every year the pope broadcasts his Christmas message or “urbi et orbi” at 12:00 p.m. at the Vatican, which is 6 a.m. ET / 3 a.m. PT in the US.
What does the Urbi et Orbi blessing mean?
The Pope's solemn Urbi et Orbi blessing is delivered on Christmas Day, but he also broadcasts this message on other important Catholic occasions.
Millions of the faithful practice the Christmas tradition of listening to the Pope's Urbi et Orbi blessing.
Prior to 1985, it was only given to people in the Vatican City by the pope from the Central Loggia of the Vatican Basilica. However, the faithful around the world can now listen via radio, television and internet.
Welcome and Merry Christmas!
Today, Pope Francis will deliver the most solemn blessing of the Catholic Church, the papal blessing Urbi et Orbi. The Latin phrase means “to the city and to the world,” and the practice dates back to the reign of Pope Gregory X in the 13th century.
The granting of plenary indulgence takes place on the most solemn occasions, and is generally reserved only for Christmas and Easter.
Watch the pope deliver this Christmas message live from the Vatican right here on AS USA.