Thousands of people gathered in St. Peter’s Square to pray for an ailing Pope Francis, expressing sorrow for his suffering and hope for his recovery. Watch this report for more details!

Hundreds of faithful pray at St Peter's Square for Pope Francis' health

Pope Francis made a rare Sunday outing from Vatican grounds to celebrate a mass on "divine mercy" with prisoners, refugees and health workers.

The service was held in a church just off St Peter's Square, in front of a reduced congregation of about 80 people, due to coronavirus restrictions.&nbsp;

Among them, there were inmates of two Roman prisons and one youth detention centre; refugees from Syria, Nigeria and Egypt; and nursing staff from a nearby hospital.&nbsp;

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In his homily, the leader of the world's 1.3 billion Catholics stressed the importance for Christians of serving others.

"Sister, brother, do you want proof that God has touched your life? See if you can stoop to bind the wounds of others," he said.&nbsp;

"Let us not remain indifferent. Let us not live a one-way faith, a faith that receives but does not give... Having received mercy, let us now become merciful," Francis added.

The pope, who is 84 and was vaccinated for the coronavirus ahead of his trip to Iraq in early March, did not wear a face mask during the service.

Those who did readings from the bible were also unmasked, while everybody else in the church, including altar boys and other priests, had their masks on.

Pope Francis made a rare Sunday outing from Vatican grounds to celebrate a mass on "divine mercy" with prisoners, refugees and health workers. The service was held in a church just off St Peter's Square, in front of a reduced congregation of about 80 people, due to coronavirus restrictions.

Pope Francis made a rare Sunday outing from Vatican grounds to celebrate a mass on "divine mercy" with prisoners, refugees and health workers. The service was held in a church just off St Peter's Square, in front of a reduced congregation of about 80 people, due to coronavirus restrictions. Among them, there were inmates of two Roman prisons and one youth detention centre; refugees from Syria, Nigeria and Egypt; and nursing staff from a nearby hospital. Also read | Pope Francis calls for equitable vaccine distributions In his homily, the leader of the world's 1.3 billion Catholics stressed the importance for Christians of serving others. "Sister, brother, do you want proof that God has touched your life? See if you can stoop to bind the wounds of others," he said. "Let us not remain indifferent. Let us not live a one-way faith, a faith that receives but does not give... Having received mercy, let us now become merciful," Francis added. The pope, who is 84 and was vaccinated for the coronavirus ahead of his trip to Iraq in early March, did not wear a face mask during the service. Those who did readings from the bible were also unmasked, while everybody else in the church, including altar boys and other priests, had their masks on.

Pope celebrates mass of 'mercy' with prisoners, refugees

After last month's incident, wherein a disgruntled <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pope-francis-apologises-for-slapping-devotee-after-being-pulled-abruptly-271435">Pope slapped a woman's hand</a> on being abruptly pulled towards her, Pope Francis on Wednesday cheerfully agreed to a nun's request for a kiss... but on a condition.&nbsp;

While the pontiff was walking into the large hall at the start of his weekly audience at the Vatican, a nun shouted in Italian and asked him for a kiss. Pope Francis looked at her and said that she will get a kiss if she doesn't bite. &nbsp;

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Francis then joked, "Stay calm! I will give you a kiss but you stay calm. Don't bite!" news agency Reuters reported.&nbsp;

The nun received a kiss from the pontiff on her right cheek to which she responded saying "Grazie, Papa".&nbsp;

Watch: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-pope-francis-gets-pulled-by-woman-frees-himself-from-her-grasp-271404">Furious Pope Francis frees himself from woman's grasp after being pulled abruptly</a>

Last week Pope Francis made headlines after he was caught on camera pulling away from a woman and slapping her hand at St Peter's Square.

While walking through St Peter's Square in the Vatican City, Pope met and greeted people and pilgrims on the sideways when he was abruptly pulled by a woman.

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In the video, the woman could be seen making the sign of the cross as the Pope approached. She abruptly grabbed his hand and pulled him towards her, causing him pain.&nbsp;

A visibly disgruntled Pope slapped the woman's hand to free himself from her grasp and pulled away while exhibiting pain and annoyance.&nbsp;

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The incident took place when Pope Francis was out to meet and greet people at a New Year's Eve gathering at St Peter's Square. &nbsp;

The pontiff then issued a statement of apology saying that he apologises for the "bad example".

After last month's incident, wherein a disgruntled Pope slapped a woman's hand on being abruptly pulled towards her, Pope Francis on Wednesday cheerfully agreed to a nun's request for a kiss.

After last month's incident, wherein a disgruntled Pope slapped a woman's hand on being abruptly pulled towards her, Pope Francis on Wednesday cheerfully agreed to a nun's request for a kiss... but on a condition. While the pontiff was walking into the large hall at the start of his weekly audience at the Vatican, a nun shouted in Italian and asked him for a kiss. Pope Francis looked at her and said that she will get a kiss if she doesn't bite. Francis then joked, "Stay calm! I will give you a kiss but you stay calm. Don't bite!" news agency Reuters reported. The nun received a kiss from the pontiff on her right cheek to which she responded saying "Grazie, Papa". Watch: Furious Pope Francis frees himself from woman's grasp after being pulled abruptly Last week Pope Francis made headlines after he was caught on camera pulling away from a woman and slapping her hand at St Peter's Square. While walking through St Peter's Square in the Vatican City, Pope met and greeted people and pilgrims on the sideways when he was abruptly pulled by a woman. × In the video, the woman could be seen making the sign of the cross as the Pope approached. She abruptly grabbed his hand and pulled him towards her, causing him pain. A visibly disgruntled Pope slapped the woman's hand to free himself from her grasp and pulled away while exhibiting pain and annoyance. The incident took place when Pope Francis was out to meet and greet people at a New Year's Eve gathering at St Peter's Square. The pontiff then issued a statement of apology saying that he apologises for the "bad example".

'Don't bite,' says Pope Francis after agreeing to kiss a nun

Pope Francis in his Christmas speech at St. Peter&#39;s Square&nbsp;said Christmas had been &quot;taken hostage&quot; by&nbsp;materialism, casting God in shadows and being indifferent towards the woes of&nbsp;the marginalised on Sunday.&nbsp;

&quot;If we want to celebrate Christmas authentically, we need to contemplate this sign: the fragile simplicity of a small newborn, the meekness of where he lies, the tender affection of the swaddling clothes. God is there,&quot; the Pope said at St. Peter&#39;s Basilica.

Some 10,000 people including cardinals and bishops attended the speech.

The Pope said people&nbsp;had to be reminded that the message of Christmas was humility, simplicity and mystery.

&quot;Jesus was born rejected by some and regarded by many others with indifference,&quot; he continued.&nbsp;

&quot;Today also the same indifference can exist, when Christmas becomes a feast where the protagonists are ourselves, rather than Jesus; when the lights of commerce cast the light of God into the shadows; when we are concerned for gifts, but cold toward those who are marginalised.&quot;

He then added in unscripted remarks: &quot;This worldliness has taken Christmas hostage. It needs to be freed.&quot;

Security was tightened in Italy after Italian police killed the man believed to be behind the Berlin Christmas market attack.&nbsp;

Pope Francis also urged people to be compassionate towards children, saying baby&nbsp;Jesus should remind everyone of those suffering today, particularly children.

&quot;Let us also allow ourselves to be challenged by the children of today&rsquo;s world, who are not lying in a cot caressed with the affection of a mother and father, but rather suffer the squalid mangers that devour dignity: hiding underground to escape bombardment, on the pavements of a large city, at the bottom of a boat over-laden with immigrants,&quot; he added.&nbsp;

&quot;Let us allow ourselves to be challenged by the children who are not allowed to be born, by those who cry because no one satiates their hunger, by those who do have not toys in their hands, but rather weapons,&quot; he said.

The Pope today will deliver his twice-yearly &quot;Urbi et Orbi&quot; (&quot;To the City and to the World&quot;) blessing and message from the central balcony of St. Peter&#39;s Basilica.

Thousands of people who could not enter the Church watched the speech on large screens in the chilly night.

(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

The Pope said materialism has cast God in shadows as people are more concerned about gifts but 'cold towards marginalised'

Pope Francis in his Christmas speech at St. Peter's Square said Christmas had been "taken hostage" by materialism, casting God in shadows and being indifferent towards the woes of the marginalised on Sunday. "If we want to celebrate Christmas authentically, we need to contemplate this sign: the fragile simplicity of a small newborn, the meekness of where he lies, the tender affection of the swaddling clothes. God is there," the Pope said at St. Peter's Basilica. Some 10,000 people including cardinals and bishops attended the speech. The Pope said people had to be reminded that the message of Christmas was humility, simplicity and mystery. "Jesus was born rejected by some and regarded by many others with indifference," he continued. "Today also the same indifference can exist, when Christmas becomes a feast where the protagonists are ourselves, rather than Jesus; when the lights of commerce cast the light of God into the shadows; when we are concerned for gifts, but cold toward those who are marginalised." He then added in unscripted remarks: "This worldliness has taken Christmas hostage. It needs to be freed." Security was tightened in Italy after Italian police killed the man believed to be behind the Berlin Christmas market attack. Pope Francis also urged people to be compassionate towards children, saying baby Jesus should remind everyone of those suffering today, particularly children. "Let us also allow ourselves to be challenged by the children of today’s world, who are not lying in a cot caressed with the affection of a mother and father, but rather suffer the squalid mangers that devour dignity: hiding underground to escape bombardment, on the pavements of a large city, at the bottom of a boat over-laden with immigrants," he added. "Let us allow ourselves to be challenged by the children who are not allowed to be born, by those who cry because no one satiates their hunger, by those who do have not toys in their hands, but rather weapons," he said. The Pope today will deliver his twice-yearly "Urbi et Orbi" ("To the City and to the World") blessing and message from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica. Thousands of people who could not enter the Church watched the speech on large screens in the chilly night. (Reuters)

Pope Francis: 'Christmas hostage to materialism'

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Hundreds of faithful pray at St Peter's Square for Pope Francis' health

Pope celebrates mass of 'mercy' with prisoners, refugees

'Don't bite,' says Pope Francis after agreeing to kiss a nun

Pope Francis: 'Christmas hostage to materialism'