Pope Benedict XVI reads his message as he stands in front of the statue of the Virgin Mary on the occasion of the Immaculate Conception feast, in Rome, Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2010. Pope Benedict XVI inaugurated the Christmas season in Rome with his traditional visit to the posh Spanish Steps neighborhood to pray before the statue of Mary. Throngs of shoppers, tourists and Romans alike jammed the rain-slicked cobblestones around the piazza to catch a glimpse of Benedict. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
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