Churchgoers have turned up in their thousands to Christmas services in Australia, celebrating one of the most important dates on the religious calendar.
St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne's main Anglican church, streamed a Christmas Eve mass live on Facebook, showing a full house with no spare room, adding its midnight and Christmas morning masses were similarly well-attended.
Parishoners from St Patrick's Cathedral, the seat of the Catholic diocese in Melbourne, posted online a range of imagery of the church from Christmas Eve and Christmas Day showing well-attended services and opulent decorations and nativity scenes.
Church leaders in Victoria delivered a range of video messages in the days leading up to Christmas, discussing themes of hope and social integration.
Melbourne's Catholic Archbishop Peter Comensoli said the birth of Jesus was the "world's greatest gift of hope".
"At a time when our institutions - political, social and religious - are so damaged, it is a person who can bring to us renewed reasons to find hope for ourselves, and offer hope to others," he said.
"Hope in the person of Jesus Christ opens up to us new horizons of goodness and rightness; the birth of Jesus challenges the mirages of dominance and self-centredness."
Uniting Church in Australia Synod of Victoria and Tasmania Moderator Rev Sharon Hollis said Christmas was the season to celebrate God taking on the human form.
Melbourne's Anglican Archbishop Philip Freier discussed the value of a recent multicultural service at St Paul's Cathedral.
"The Cathedral was alive with colour, sound and movement. It highlighted what we can be together, in service of God and each other."
He added that reflecting on Jesus at this time of year - despite its frantic pace - was inspiring.
"As the famous Christmas carol puts it, peace on Earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled."
