He made the remarks a day after the start of Roman Catholic Church’s Holy Year, known as a Jubilee, which takes place every quarter century. On Tuesday evening, Francis opened the Holy Door in St. Peter’s Basilica so that the first pilgrims could go through. Millions more are expected to follow over the year.

Pope Francis opened the "Holy Door" of St Peter's Basilica on Christmas Eve on Tuesday, launching the Jubilee year of Catholic celebrations set to draw more than 30 million pilgrims

Protests erupted in Christian neighborhoods of the Syrian capital Damascus after a Christmas tree was set on fire in another town by unidentified men on Monday evening.

Although members of the Christian community said they are happy to see the Assad regime go, many are wary of their new Islamist leaders.

Footage began to circulate online Monday showing flames at the base of an artificial Christmas tree in the mostly Christian town of Al-Suqaylabiyah.

Ukraine's air force says it detected 184 missiles and drones, causing damage to energy infrastructure across the country.

In this image provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service on Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024, firefighters work on a site of an apartment building destroyed by a Russian attack in Kryvyi

BOSTON - Boston's dreams of a white Christmas have come true for 2024. The National Weather Service defines a "white Christmas" as having an inch or more of snow on the ground for Christmas morning. Meteorologist Candice Hrencecin at the National Weather Service's Norton office confirmed to WBZ-TV that Boston has met the criteria.

The National Weather Service officially considers a location to have had a white Christmas if there is one inch of snow already on the ground or if new snow of at least an inch falls on Christmas Day.

Walgreens: According to a Walgreens spokesperson, most Walgreens stores will be open on Christmas Day with adjusted operating hours from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and 24-hour Walgreens locations and 24-hour pharmacies will remain open. Find local hours here.

The chain's hours vary by location, meaning some will be open while others may be closed. The company recommends customers check with their closest location to confirm their specific holiday hours. Customers can also use the store locator function on the Starbucks app or website for information regarding their local Starbucks shop.