Pope Francis on December 21, 2020, gathered the Roman Curia in the Vatican's Benediction Hall for their annual Christmas message and minced no words about the crisis facing the world. But he lit a light at the end of the tunnel. "This is the Christmas of the pandemic, of the health, economic, social, and even ecclesial crisis that has indiscriminately struck the whole world," the Pope said. "The crisis is no longer a commonplace of conversations and of the intellectual establishment; it has become a reality experienced by everyone.