Pope Francis holds mass on World Day of Peace

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 to Rome.

In a ceremony watched on screens by thousands of faithful outside in St Peter's Square, the Argentine pontiff went through the door followed by a procession, as the bells of the Vatican basilica rang out.

Pope Francis then presided over the Christmas Eve mass in St Peter's, where he turned once again to the victims of war.

He was due to deliver his traditional Christmas Day blessing, Urbi et Orbi (to the city and the world), at midday on Wednesday. As well as the regular Jubilees every 25 years, the Church has organised extraordinary Jubilees, the most recent in 2016. The next is in 2033 to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.