Pope Francis is expected to celebrate New Year’s Mass in St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican on Monday to kick off the new calendar year. The head of the Catholic Church plans to celebrate Mass and give his homily starting from 10 am (0900 GMT). In view of the wars and conflicts in the world, the 87-year-old pontiff is expected to mention the Russian war in Ukraine and the Gaza war and call for peace. The Catholic Church marks what it calls the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God, which celebrates Mary being the mother of Jesus, and the World Day of Peace on January 1. The traditional Ang…