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In pictures: World celebrates Christmas

People across the world are celebrating Christmas - one of the holiest times in the Christian calendar. However, for the second year in a row, there are smaller crowds at church services and other events because of the continuing coronavirus outbreak. Here's our snapshot of global festivities.

News imageEPA Volunteers of the NGO "Regalame un jajaja" deliver food to homeless people in Caracas, Venezuela, 23 December 2021EPA
A volunteer delvers traditional Venezuelan food to the homeless in Caracas on Christmas Day.
News imageReuters Commander, the Biden family's new puppy, is seen with US President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden as they meet virtually with service members in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building's South Court Auditorium at the White House, in Washington, U.S., December 25, 2021Reuters
President Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden pose with their German shepherd puppy during a virtual event for service members.
News imageGetty Images swimmers taking the plunge during the annual Christmas swim in Weymouth, Dorset, UKGetty Images
Brave swimmers took the plunge during the annual Weymouth Harbour Christmas swim in Dorset, UK.
News imageAFP Children perform at the Mother Teresa Cathedral during the midnight Christmas mass in Pristina on December 25, 2021.AFP
In Kosovo's capital Pristina, a children's choir performed at midnight mass at the Roman Catholic Mother Teresa Cathedral
News imageEPA In Peshawar, Pakistan, young Christian women take selfies before a Christmas serviceEPA
In Peshawar, Pakistan, young Christian women took selfies before a Christmas service
News imageReuters Pope FrancisReuters
Pope Francis delivered his traditional Urbi et Orbi address from the Vatican on Saturday
News imageNurPhoto via Getty Images People take pictures on a footbridge with Christmas lights decorations in Taipei, Taiwan. Photo: 24 December 2021NurPhoto via Getty Images
Colourful lights and decorations made this footbridge in Taipei, Taiwan, very popular with locals and tourists
News imageReuters Christian faithful of the Legio Maria African Mission church attend a Christmas Eve vigil Mass in Nairobi, Kenya. Photo: 25 December 2021Reuters
Nuns held prayers at a solemn church service in Nairobi, Kenya
News imageReuters People light candles before a Christmas Eve service at St Mary Draperis Roman Catholic Church in Istanbul, Turkey. Photo: 24 December 2021Reuters
Worshippers lit candles in Istanbul, Turkey
News imageReuters The acting Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Pierbattista Pizzaballa leads a Christmas midnight Mass at St Catherine's Church, in the Church of the Nativity, in the West Bank Palestinian city of Bethlehem. Photo: 25 December 2021Reuters
In the Palestinian city of Bethlehem, the biblical birthplace of Jesus, a midnight Mass was held in the Church of the Nativity
News imageCorbis via Getty Images Pope Francis (right) leads a Christmas Eve Mass at St Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. Photo: 24 December 2021Corbis via Getty Images
On Christmas Eve, Pope Francis led a Mass which was held earlier than usual because of Covid restrictions
News imageAFP via Getty Images Young altar servers light up their candles during a Christmas Eve mass at a church in Irbil, the capital of the autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq. Photo: 24 December 2021AFP via Getty Images
Young altar servers assisted during celebrations in Irbil, the capital of the autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq
News imageGetty Images A child runs towards a man as he walks with a sack of gifts dressed as Saint Nicholas (Santa Claus) in a slum near the centre of Iraq's southern city of Basra, 24 December 2021Getty Images
When Santa Claus arrived with a a sack of gifts near Iraq's southern city of Basra, he had an enthusiastic reception
News imageNurPhoto via Getty Images A giant sand sculpture of Santa Claus on the beach of Bay of Bengal in Odisha state, India. Photo: 24 December 2021NurPhoto via Getty Images
This giant sand sculpture of Santa Claus appeared on the beach at Bay of Bengal in India's eastern Odisha state
News imageGetty Images Aquarists dressed as Elf, Santa Claus and Mrs Claus greet the public inside a huge water tank at AquaRio in Rio de JaneiroGetty Images
In Brazil, aquarists dressed as Elf, Santa Claus and Mrs Claus greeted the public inside a huge water tank at AquaRio in Rio de Janeiro
News imageNurPhoto via Getty Images A rhino enjoys its Christmas treats at Orana Wildlife Park on the outskirts of Christchurch, New Zealand. Photo: 24 December 2021NurPhoto via Getty Images
Meanwhile, a rhino enjoyed its Christmas treats at Orana Wildlife Park on the outskirts of Christchurch, New Zealand

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