Pope Leo XIV will lead his first Christmas Mass at St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican in Rome on December 24.
69-year-old Chicago native the first leader of the Roman Catholic Church to come from the United States. He was elected by the conclave in May 2025 after death of Pope Francis April 21.
Coverage of Pope Leo XIV's first Christmas Mass will air on NBC. Read on for details.
What time is Pope Leo's first Christmas Mass?
Pope Leo XIV's first Christmas Mass, celebrated at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, will begin airing December 24 at 11:30 pm ET on NBC.
The coating of the mass will be ventilated for approximately 90 minutes.
The coverage will begin after NBC's annual airing of the holiday classic “It's a Wonderful Life.”“,” starring Jimmy Stewart, 8:00 pm ET to 11:30 pm ET.
What's special about the Mass?
The Christmas Mass is an important milestone in the history of the Roman Catholic Church. This is the first service presided over by the new pope, who is the first pope from the United States.
The late Pope Francis, who died in April 2025, had presided over the previous five Christmas Masses.
What did Pope Leo XIV say about Christmas?
Pope Leo XIV spoke about the meaning of Christmas and what he considers the ideal holiday gift. addressed the youth group “Italian Catholic Action” December 20.
“Before the holy night of Christmas, think of someone you can make peace with,” he told the group, according to the report Catholic News Agency.
“It will be a gift more valuable than those that can be bought in stores, because peace is a gift that can only truly be found in the heart,” he added.
