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In pictures: World celebrates Christmas

AFP/Getty Images Pope Francis kneels down to pray during a Christmas Eve mass to mark the birth of Jesus Christ at St Peter's Basilica in the VaticanAFP/Getty Images
At a Christmas Eve Mass in the Vatican, Pope Francis urged more "sharing and giving", denouncing the "insatiable greed" of modern consumerism

Services are being held around the world as Christians mark the birth of Christ.

Here is our selection of some of the best images so far.

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EPA A girl attends a Christmas Eve mass in Cairo, EgyptEPA
In Egypt, this little girl listened attentively during a church service in Cairo
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AFP People attending a Christmas Eve event at a church in Fuyang, China's eastern Anhui provinceAFP
Celebrations were held at this church in Fuyang, China's eastern Anhui province
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EPA Indian Christians taking part in Christmas prayers at the Infant Jesus church in Bangalore, IndiaEPA
Indian Christians took part in prayers at the Infant Jesus Church in Bangalore
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Reuters A woman prays during a Christmas service at the Sacred Heart Cathedral in LahorReuters
This woman prayed during a Christmas service at the Sacred Heart Cathedral in the Pakistani city of Lahore
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EPA Thai and foreign Catholic church goers touch the baby Jesus doll in the Nativity scene during Christmas Day Mass at a church in BangkokEPA
People queued at this church in Bangkok to touch the baby Jesus doll in its Nativity scene
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Reuters An altar boys holds a cross before a mass at the Notre Dame de Kinshasa cathedral in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of CongoReuters
These altar boys played a key role during celebrations in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo
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Reuters A migrant, part of a caravan of thousands from Central America trying to reach the United States, celebrates Christmas, at a temporary shelter in Tijuana, MexicoReuters
A young boy, part of a group of thousands of migrants travelling from Central America to the US, celebrated at a shelter in Tijuana, Mexico
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AFP Indonesian Christians attending mass on Christmas Eve at a stadium in Surabaya, the country"s second largest cityAFP
A Mass on Christmas Eve was held at a stadium in Surabaya, Indonesia's second-largest city
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AFP Members of a swimming club take their traditional Christmas bath at the Orankesee lake in BerlinAFP
Members of a Berlin swimming club took their traditional Christmas bath at the city's Orankesee lake
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EPA A couple kiss during a Christmas Eve ceremony at St Antuan Church in Istanbul, TurkeyEPA
Meanwhile, this couple kissed by a Christmas tree in Istanbul, Turkey
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Getty Images Families pose by a Christmas tree on Bondi Beach on December 25, 2018Getty Images
Families at Sydney's Bondi Beach celebrated in the middle of the southern hemisphere's summer
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Reuters A Christian expatriate community attends a mass at Santa Maria Church in Dubai, United Arab EmiratesReuters
A Christian community attended a Mass at Santa Maria Church in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
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AFP/Getty Images A priest prepares for a Christmas Eve mass for "yellow vests" protesters near a roundabout in Somain, northern FranceAFP/Getty Images
In France, so-called "yellow vests" protesters held a service at a roundabout in the northern town of Somain
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All photographs belong to the copyright holders as marked.