Churches and cathedrals nationwide are holding Christmas services and mass on Sunday with no attendance restrictions for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

The Catholic Archdiocese of Seoul held a Christmas mass officiated by Archbishop Chung Soon-taek at 12 a.m. Sunday at Myeongdong Cathedral. Chung delivered a Christmas message in which he prayed for love and peace for everyone in the world on Christmas, the holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.

Cardinal You Heung-sik, a minister at the Vatican currently visiting South Korea on vacation, presided over a Christmas mass at 8 p.m. Saturday at a Catholic church in Asan, South Chungcheong Province.

The Protestant community will also hold services to celebrate Christmas with no crowd limits.

The Yoido Full Gospel Church will have six Christmas services from 7 a.m. Sunday with no limits on participants.

An association of progressive Protestant churches and Christian organizations will host a joint service at Seoul train station plaza on Sunday afternoon.