resigning from the papacy because of the sailing how. nbc s molly hunter is joining us at the vatican. molly, welcome. we know every other pope since the 15th century have led the catholic church until their death. so what do we know about funeral plans, especially since there hasn t really been one for a retired pope in what, six centuries. six centuries. and certainly the vatican didn t release any plans over the last several weeks or days, alex. before i go to the actual, planning i do i don t know if you can hear the hints of the background. i do want to just bring our audience a little bit of this. this is the final prayer service of the year 2022. pope francis had already scheduled. does this was pre-scheduled. he started his plans even other news of course this. morning this is the first time that we saw him since the news of his predecessors that broke. i just want to share a little bit of what he said tonight to open up of service. he said, with emotion, we remembe
celebration and crowds returning. after two years of scaled back festivities due to the pandemic. this year s theme, the gift of love. i don t know if it was going to be a would happen again after everything that happened. so, it is very surreal with no covid restrictions, officials estimate roughly 1 million in times square. heightening security throughout the city. at this time, there are no specific credible threats to new york city or any of our events or any new years eve. from boston to atlanta, other major cities are ringing in the new year like in years past. what does it mean to see times square come alive like this? it is like a whole sense of community everyone is grateful to be back in healthy. it s time to celebrate. and, alex, this is all a big change from new year s eve 2020, with just a handful of frontline workers were invited here to times square today. it is first come first serve,
a 6-year-old former cancer patient bringing holiday cheer to patients at a virginia hospital where she underwent treatment. poppy was diagnosed with leukemia around christmas last year. she returned to the children s hospital bearing gifts. 300 donated lego sets for friends, old and new. i want to make them happy. it s hopeful and inspiring and makes you feel really good about the future. the gift of hope, the gift of love, and a gift of compassion.
she returned to the children s hospital bearing gifts. 300 donated lego sets for friends, old and new. i want to make them happy. it s hopeful and inspiring and makes you feel really good about the future. the gift of hope, the gift of love, and a gift of compassion. her mother says the kindness ofer people helped her daughter heal. and they wanted to pay it forward. amazing story. you see that turning into a movie, couldn t you? the 6-year-old with a big heart. that s the holiday spirit. tesla s rival brought in the biggest yet. cnn has the details next. 40 hou.