Pope Francis led the world's Roman Catholics into Christmas urging people to seek a simpler, less materialistic life and condemning the yawning gap between the rich and the poor. Francis, 82, marking the sixth Christmas of his papacy, led a solemn service on Monday of nearly 10,000 people at the St Peter's Basilica for his traditional Christmas Eve Mass, US News reported.

Security was heightened around the Vatican and many other tourist areas in Rome and Italy for the Christmas season.