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In the first ages, during the night before every feast, a vigil was kept. In the evening the faithful assembled in the place or church where the feast was to be celebrated and prepared themselves by prayers, readings from Holy Writ (now the Offices of Vespers and Matins), and sometimes also by hearing a sermon.
Members of the Kings and Queens youth group of St. Austin’s Catholic Parish of Nairobi Archdiocese in Kenya are reaching out to their needy colleagues in a first evangelization context in the country’s Nakuru Diocese in a twinning initiative that started seven years ago.
The Vatican’s 2021 nativity scene was unveiled in St. Peter’s Square.
Reaching a height of nearly 100 feet, the Christmas tree in St. Peter’s Square this year is adorned with handcrafted wooden ornaments made by the homeless, as well as children and other adults.