MERRY CHRISTMAS: Pope Francis Sends Christmas Presents To 2,000 Immigrants

• Two thousand immigrants have received Christmas presents from Pope Francis.

Vatican Pope Francis jokes with the newlyweds of the Rainbow Association Marco Lagulli Onlus, which deals with clownterapia (clown therapy) in hospitals, nursing homes, and orphanages

Two thousand immigrants at the Dono di Maria shelter near the Vatican were thrilled to receive Christmas presents from none other than Pope Francis.

He sent them useful gift packages to allow them to connect with family over the holiday season, including a Christmas card signed by the Pope, postage stamps, a pre-paid international calling card, and a free day-pass for the Rome metro.

Papal almoner Archbishop Konrad Krajewski personally helped the sisters of the Missionaries of Charity hand out the gifts.

Sister Michelle said: "The immigrants received the presents with love and were thankful for the opportunity to call and write their loved ones during the Christmas season."

As an advocate for the poor and marginalized, Pope Francis has specifically spoken out on behalf of immigrants.

On the World Day of Migrants and Refugees in September he condemned "slave labor" and human trafficking.

"Migrants and refugees are not pawns on the chessboard of humanity," he said.

"They are children, women and men who leave or who are forced to leave their homes for various reasons, who share a legitimate desire for knowing and having, but above all for being more."

The Dono di Maria home was founded by Mother Teresa 25 years ago under Pope John Paul II's blessing, according to Patheos.

Christmas Is Coming: Nigeria Police Force on Red Alert

With few days to Christmas, Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Abubakar, has put the entire police formations in the country on red alert, to safeguard all Nigerians and public property.

Christmas, in the last three years in Nigeria, has been the favourite time by Boko Haram terrorists to inflict maximum damage to the country.

But the police are not leaving matters to chances, as per the latest directive by MD Abubakar.

According to police spokesman, Frank Mba, the IGP has ordered extra patrols, surveillance and covert operations to better secure potential targets during the festive period.

The Boko Haram militants have struck every Christmas for the past three years, most dramatically in 2011, when they bombed three churches. One of them, on St. Theresa Catholic Church in Madalla, Niger state, killed 37 people and wounded 57.

“All the strike forces and specialized units of the force have been adequately mobilized to … provide water-tight security.

“Covert operations, round-the-clock surveillance, and robust vehicular patrols are being intensified, while particular attention is now constantly paid to strategic public places, including places of worship, recreation centres, shopping malls, business plazas, motor parks, strategic highways, government installations and other important locations so as to forestall any possible criminal activity and guarantee the safety of the citizenry,” Mba said in the statement.

The spokesman further revealed that the IGP has directed all Assistant Inspectors-General of Police and Commissioners of Police in all Zonal and State Commands of the Force to retool their security infrastructures in line with international standards, taking into consideration their local environment and peculiar security situation in order to protect the citizens adequately.

President Goodluck Jonathan has been criticized by the opposition, the media and Western diplomats for failing to protect civilians during the four-and-a-half year insurgency, which began as a clerical movement opposed to Western influences but morphed into a fully fledged insurrection, forging links with al Qaeda-inspired groups in the Sahara.

Like those groups, Boko Haram believe Christians are infidels who must be converted or killed.

A wave of church attacks around early 2012 raised fears they were trying to trigger a sectarian civil war in a country with the world’s largest mixed population of Christians and Muslims, although the feared reprisals never materialized.

President Jonathan last month extended a state of emergency in the northeast areas worst affected by the insurgency. A military offensive since May has failed to quell the rebellion, and Boko Haram has mounted several counter-attacks