Catholics, Protestants, and some Orthodox groups celebrate the holiday with solemn ceremonies: the head of the Catholic Church Pope Francis led the traditional Midnight Mass at St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, drawing thousands of believers, while numerous Christians also attended Holy Mass at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, where Jesus Christ is believed to have been over 2000 years ago.
Follow Sputnik's Live Feed to Find Out More!
© REUTERS / Anton VaganovMusician dressed as Santa Claus takes a photo with passengers in a bus decorated for Christmas and New Year celebrations in central Saint-Petersburg, Russia.
Musician dressed as Santa Claus takes a photo with passengers in a bus decorated for Christmas and New Year celebrations in central Saint-Petersburg, Russia.
© Sputnik / Igor Zarembo / Go to the mediabankCatholic Christmas service is held in St. Adalbert's Church, Kaliningrad, Russia.
Catholic Christmas service is held in St. Adalbert's Church, Kaliningrad, Russia.
© AFP 2023 / Safin HamedIraqi Christians attend a Christmas Eve service at the Church of Um al-Noor in Erbil, the eponymous northern Iraqi city and capital of the autonomous Kurdish region.
Iraqi Christians attend a Christmas Eve service at the Church of Um al-Noor in Erbil, the eponymous northern Iraqi city and capital of the autonomous Kurdish region.
© AFP 2023 / Manan VatsyayanaA woman takes a selfie outside the late 19th-century St. Joseph's Cathedral in the old quarters of Hanoi, Vietnam.
A woman takes a selfie outside the late 19th-century St. Joseph's Cathedral in the old quarters of Hanoi, Vietnam.
© Sputnik / Viktor Tolochko / Go to the mediabankBelievers attend a Christmas eve mass at the Cathedral of the Holy Name of Mary, in Minsk, Belarus.
Hope, Joy, and Little Baby Jesus: Christmas Celebrations Around the World
© AFP 2023 / Juni KriswantoIndonesian Christians light up their mobile phones during a Christmas Eve prayer at a church in Surabaya, East Java.
Indonesian Christians light up their mobile phones during a Christmas Eve prayer at a church in Surabaya, East Java.
© REUTERS / Guglielmo MangiapanePope Francis kisses a statue of baby Jesus as he leads the Christmas Eve mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican.
Pope Francis kisses a statue of baby Jesus as he leads the Christmas Eve mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican.
© AP Photo / Mark BakerA couple poses for a selfie wearing Santa hats as crowds flocked to the inner city beach of St Kilda for Christmas Day celebrations in Melbourne, Australia.
8/21
© AP Photo / Mark Baker
A couple poses for a selfie wearing Santa hats as crowds flocked to the inner city beach of St Kilda for Christmas Day celebrations in Melbourne, Australia.
© REUTERS / Alexey MalgavkoChildren prepare backstage before the Christmas-themed performance in a Catholic church in Omsk, Russia.
Children prepare backstage before the Christmas-themed performance in a Catholic church in Omsk, Russia.
© REUTERS / Leah MillisUS President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrive at their Christmas Eve party at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beac.
US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrive at their Christmas Eve party at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beac.
© AFP 2023 / Narinder NanuA girl dressed as Santa Claus distributes sweets to children during Christmas celebrations on Christmas Eve at a school in Amritsar on December 24, 2019.
Hope, Joy, and Little Baby Jesus: Christmas Celebrations Around the World
© Sputnik / Stringer / Go to the mediabankCatholic Archbishop Mieczysław Mokrzycki holds Christmas Mass at the Archcathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Lviv, Ukraine.
Catholic Archbishop Mieczysław Mokrzycki holds Christmas Mass at the Archcathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Lviv, Ukraine.
© AP Photo / Rahmat GulAn Afghan man walks past a Christmas tree at the Shar-e-Naw City in Kabul, Afghanistan.
13/21
© AP Photo / Rahmat Gul
An Afghan man walks past a Christmas tree at the Shar-e-Naw City in Kabul, Afghanistan.
© AP Photo / Ng Han GuanA child reacts near wings-shaped neon lights during Christmas Eve in Beijing.
14/21
© AP Photo / Ng Han Guan
A child reacts near wings-shaped neon lights during Christmas Eve in Beijing.
© AFP 2023 / Yasin AkgulA priest holds a statue of baby Jesus during the Christmas Mass at Saint Antuan Church in Istanbul, Turkey.
A priest holds a statue of baby Jesus during the Christmas Mass at Saint Antuan Church in Istanbul, Turkey.
© REUTERS / NPI/Florida's Space Coast Office of TourismParticipants are seen during the 10th Annual Surfing Santas event in Cocoa Beach, Florida, United States.
Participants are seen during the 10th Annual Surfing Santas event in Cocoa Beach, Florida, United States.
© AP Photo / Mindaugas KulbisPriests and clergy walk in a procession to attend the Christmas celebration midnight Mass at the Cathedral-Basilical in Vilnius, Lithuania.
17/21
© AP Photo / Mindaugas Kulbis
Priests and clergy walk in a procession to attend the Christmas celebration midnight Mass at the Cathedral-Basilical in Vilnius, Lithuania.
© REUTERS / Thomas MukoyaA Christian faithful of the Legio Maria African Mission church yawns while attending the Christmas eve vigil mass in their church in the Fort Jesus area of Nairobi, Kenya.
A Christian faithful of the Legio Maria African Mission church yawns while attending the Christmas eve vigil mass in their church in the Fort Jesus area of Nairobi, Kenya.
© AP Photo / Vahid SalemiPeople take a picture with Santa Claus on the Christmas Eve in a Christian neighbourhood, in Tehran, Iran.
19/21
© AP Photo / Vahid Salemi
People take a picture with Santa Claus on the Christmas Eve in a Christian neighbourhood, in Tehran, Iran.
© Sputnik / Aleksei Mayshev / Go to the mediabankCatholic Mass in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Moscow.
Catholic Mass in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Moscow.
© AP Photo / Khalil HamraA Palestinian Christian man plays with his baby as they wait for the Christmas Mass outside the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza City.
21/21
© AP Photo / Khalil Hamra
A Palestinian Christian man plays with his baby as they wait for the Christmas Mass outside the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza City.