Cardinal Blase Cupich leads Christmas Mass at Holy Name Cathedral

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich helped kick off Christmas Day at Holy Name Cathedral.

Hundreds gathered to celebrate midnight Mass on the start of the Christian holiday and the cardinal sent a special message to his congregation.

For Cupich, it was the very first Christmas Mass he has led since being elevated to cardinal on November 19.

A few hours before the Christmas Mass, Cardinal Cupich spent the day with children at Lurie Children's Hospital, blessing them and reminding them that God is in the face and heart of children.

It was a theme that he carried into Christmas Mass at midnight. At the pulpit, he talked about the importance of people being united, supporting one another and not turning on one another.

"Especially those in the human family whose lives seem to be incomplete, whose lives are different and imperfect, who are still developing, whether that be the sick, the poor, the addict, the immigrant, the child in the womb and the condemned criminal," Cupich said.

A big theme of the homily was darkness and that darkness is where you'll find god does his best work.

The service at Holy Name Cathedral lasted about an hour and a half. There was choral music, a nativity scene and Christmas flowers.

There were several Christmas services Sunday morning and afternoon.

Cupich continued his weekend of service at the Cook County Jail. He spent part of the day with inmates, holding a Christmas day mass.