With the people in spirit
Pope Francis celebrates Christmas Eve mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on Thursday. Pope Francis reminded the faithful to follow civil authorities' guidelines on the pandemic, even as only a few people were able to participate in the traditional eve mass due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) regulations. Vatican Media, via Reuters
The big and small of it
A child dressed as Santa Claus, right, rings a bell for Jerusalem's Santa Claus as they walk with volunteers from a Catholic men's group distributing presents to children on Christmas Eve in the Christian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem, Thursday. With the coronavirus dampening Christmas celebrations this year, the men's group organized gifts to families free of charge. Maya Alleruzzo, AP
With great power comes...
Clad in Spiderman suit, Adones Oppus, a long-distance runner who works as a cook, distributes gifts and candies to homeless children along Roxas Boulevard in Manila on Friday. Oppus saves his salary for December to distribute gifts to the destitute. ABS-CBN News
Physically-distanced Christmas mass-goers
People wearing face masks and face shields as protection against the COVID-19 observe physicial distancing during a Christmas Mass at the Manila Cathedral on Friday. The Philippines confirmed an additional 1,885 COVID-19 cases on Christmas Day, bringing the country’s total to 467,601, with the number of active cases at 27,748. Lisa Marie David, Reuters
Still a colorful Luneta Christmas
People who flocked to Luneta Park, a popular destination for families during Christmas, watch a dancing fountain, on Friday. Visitors to the park were limited at 2,000, a far cry from the previous year’s 77,000 during Christmas day, to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News
