"We encourage all Catholics to make time during the season of Advent to celebrate and receive the gift of God’s love in the Sacrament of Reconciliation” – Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference.

So many persons stop every Christmas before the mystery of God made man, represented in the crib with statuettes, which in many cases are authentic masterpieces of art to pray, to reflect and to discover the love of God who becomes a child for us – Archbishop Rino Fisichella.

Pope Francis shared an enormous birthday pizza with youngsters at a Vatican paediatric clinic.

Many are searching for real hope in the face of an economic crisis, in the face of loneliness and emptiness and the illusion of drugs or empty consumerism.

“Here before the door of this Jubilee of Mercy, let us ask that the world discover the ability to weep for its crimes, for what the world does with war.”

An Post and Royal Mail feature scenes from the biblical story depicted by a contemporary artist and an Old Master.

Seeing the nativity scene will help students of St Raphael’s Special School to visualise and understand the Christmas story.