Pope Urges All to Recall Beauty of Christ’s Birth

Pope John Paul II delivered Christmas greetings in 51 languages Wednesday and urged a world “too often defeated by the temptation of arrogant power and oppression” to remember the beauty and mystery of Christ’s birth.

The pontiff, dressed in shining gold and white vestments, celebrated a solemn high Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica and then delivered his traditional “Urbi et Orbi” message to the city of Rome and the world from the main balcony of the largest church in Christendom.

During his 30-minute appearance in St. Peter’s Square, John Paul delivered Christmas greetings to the world in 51 languages, including Polish, Vietnamese, Russian and, for the first time, in Pushtu, the primary language of Afghanistan. He also spoke in the five major languages used in India, where he will visit Feb. 1-10.

When John Paul spoke in English, he wished Christians “a blessed Christmas in the peace of Jesus Christ, the savior of the world.”

More than 30,000 people stood in St. Peter’s Square for John Paul’s address and apostolic blessing, but millions more were expected to hear or view the celebrations via radio and television broadcasts.

John Paul spoke mainly of the central Christmas mystery--the birth of what Christians believe is God made man in Jesus Christ. But he also referred to current world issues, including human rights violations, oppression, starvation, moral laxity and the planet’s shrinking store of natural resources.

Calling himself “defenseless” in an armed world, the pontiff said he wished to re-proclaim the Christmas mystery in the “signs and needs of our time.”

“He repeats it as one defenseless in the midst of a world that is armed and too often defeated by the temptation of arrogant power and oppression,” the Pope said, referring to himself in the third person.

“He repeats it forcefully in a world where there are still people dying of starvation and where human rights are scandalously violated and a mass of suffering weighs upon humanity,” the Pope said.

‘How to Be Sober’

The Polish-born pontiff said Christians should know “how to be sober with regard to the resources of the universe and wise in the use of the energies of its own mind.”

The true Christian, John Paul said, “knows how to resist the false mirage of a progress that is indifferent to moral values and looks only to the immediate and material advantage.”

Christians, he added, should be a people “inspired by justice in its thoughts, resolutions and deeds, a people ever aiming at the goal of a more authentic community of persons, in which every individual will feel accepted, respected and esteemed.”

Plenary Indulgence

At the end of his message, John Paul raised his hand in the sign of the cross, granting television viewers plenary indulgence, or the full pardon of temporal punishment of sin.

Under church law, only the Pope can extend plenary indulgence, which pontiffs have done by radio and television for several years. John Paul traditionally grants it twice a year--on Christmas and Easter--to those in St. Peter’s Square as well as the media audience.

For the first time this year, the Vatican announced that bishops may grant the faithful in their dioceses indulgences by radio or television three times a year.

Bishops normally can grant only partial plenary indulgence, and previously were allowed to extend the full pardon in the name of the Pope only to those actually attending a service.

The Vatican said the action was taken to allow those who could not travel to their bishop to receive the indulgence.