Ceremonies would take a “private form” this year as Pope Francis will celebrate Christmas without a congregation in the Vatican, the specialist Catholic News Agency (CNA) reported on Monday.

According to AFP, the 83-year-old pontiff was deprived of a public gathering at Easter when he had to celebrate mass at Saint Peter’s with very few people present.

In a letter, the foreign minister of Vatican City informed that Christmas ceremonies would take “a private form” this year.

According to a document seen by CNA, members of the diplomatic corps would not be present, and events would be made available online.

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Notably, thousands of Catholics visit Rome during the festive season in December.

The pope has scheduled a prayer on Saint Peter’s Square on December 8 in lieu of a public appearance to honour the Virgin Mary, but he is still due to celebrate mass on Christmas Eve and deliver his traditional Urbi and Orbi message to the world.

The pontiff loves public gatherings, however, the pandemic made him curtail his agenda, cancel trips, receptions and ceremonies.

Italy has re-imposed COVID-19 restrictions to battle the second wave as the disease took lives of more than 37,000 people in the country.