In Photos: From Vatican to Iraq, Top Christmas Moments This Year

From Pope Francis’ message to celebrations in Iraq, here is a peek into Christmas from around the world.

Merry X’mas!

(Photo: iStock)

‘World Fraternity Despite Differences’

Pope Francis offered a Christmas wish for fraternity among people of different faiths, races or ideas, describing the world’s differences as a richness, not a danger, and calling for political solutions to end wars in Syria, Yemen and elsewhere.

Ice Swimming In Germany

Members of the swimming club ‘Berlin seals’ wear Christmas costumes as they go for a swim in the Orankesee lake in Berlin on Tuesday, 25 December 2018. 

‘Zoo Christmas’

A gorilla looks into a Christmas present filled with wood wool, nuts and raisins in the Wilhelma zoo in Stuttgart, southern Germany on Tuesday, 25 December 2018. 

Christmas in India

People throng on an illuminated street to celebrate Christmas in Kolkata, India, on Tuesday, 25 December 2018.

Royal Christmas

Britain’s royal family arrive to attend the Christmas day service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham in Norfolk, England on Tuesday, 25 December 2018.

Trump: Believing in Santa at 7 Is 'Marginal'

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump on Christmas Eve took calls from children anxious to find out where Santa was on his gift-giving journey. In one conversation, Trump asked a 7-year-old named Coleman, “Are you still a believer in Santa?” He listened for a moment before adding, “Because at 7, it’s marginal, right?” Trump listened again and chuckled before saying, “Well, you just enjoy yourself.”  

Afghanistan Christmas

US soldier, Cassandra Saphore, posses for a photograph during a ceremony on Christmas Day at the Resolute Support Headquarters, in Kabul, Afghanistan on Tuesday, 25 December 2018.

Christmas Now a National Holiday in Iraq

Iraqis attend Christmas Mass at Mar Youssif Chaldean Church, in Baghdad, Iraq on Tuesday, 25 December 2018. Although the number of Christians has dropped in Iraq, Christmas, now an official national holiday, is very popular in the capital. 

Christmas in Iran

Iranians attend Christmas Mass at Saint Joseph Chaldean-Assyrian Catholic Church, in Tehran, Iran, on Tuesday, 25 December 2018.

Hungary’s Traditional Christmas

In this 24 December 2018 photo, people in folk attires attend the Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve in Saint Martin of Tours’ Church in the village of Bujak, 84 kms northeast of Budapest, Hungary.