Pope on Christmas: Jesus was poor, so don't be power-hungry

Pope Francis holds his pastoral staff as he presides over Christmas Eve Mass, at St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Saturday Dec. 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Recalling Jesus' birth in a stable, Pope Francis rebuked those "ravenous" for wealth and power at the expense of the vulnerable, including children, in a Christmas Eve homily decrying war, poverty and greedy consumerism.

In the splendor of St. Peter's Basilica, Francis presided over the evening Mass attended by about 7,000 faithful, including tourists and pilgrims, who flocked to the church on a warm evening and took their place behind rows of white-robed pontiffs.