Pope Francis blesses baby Jesus statues during Angelus

Speaking from the window of his studio in the Apostolic Palace, the Pope greeted the children present in St Peter’s Square, telling them he blessed the statues of the Child Jesus for their Christmas Scenes “with all my heart.”

Recalling his recent Apostolic Letter on the meaning and importance of the Nativity Scene, he said, "the crib is like a living Gospel.

Contemplating the Christmas story is like setting out on a spiritual journey, drawn by the humility of the God who became man in order to encounter every man and woman.”

“So great is His love for us”, quoted the Pontiff, “that He became one of us, so that we, in turn, might become one with Him.”