Popes meet on Francis’s first Christmas

Pope Francis is greeted yesterday by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI at the Mater Ecclesiae monastery at the Vatican.

Pope Francis visited his predecessor Benedict XVI yesterday for an informal Christmas greeting, as the Argentine Pontiff prepares to celebrate his first Christmas as leader of the world’s Roman Catholics.

Francis met with the 86-year-old Benedict in a former monastery building on a hill inside the Vatican City walls where the pope emeritus has taken up residence following his historic resignation earlier this year.

The two men could be seen praying side by side in a chapel inside the residence and chatting amicably on white sofas with a Christmas garland in front of them in photographs released by the Vatican press service.

Both were dressed in the white cassocks used by popes.

Francis came to “give his best wishes for the Christmas celebrations”, the Vatican said in a statement.

The 77-year-old Pope earlier yesterday compared the Catholic Church to an expectant mother during a homily at one of his daily masses in the residence where he has been staying since his election by fellow cardinals in March.

“Like the Virgin Mary, the church this week is expecting a birth,” Francis said. “Is there space for the Lord or is there space only for parties, shopping and making noise?”