Pope FrancisVerified account

I bless the statuettes of Jesus, which will be placed in the Nativity scene. When you pray at home, before the Nativity scene with your families, allow yourselves to be drawn by the tenderness of Baby Jesus, born poor and frail among us, in order to give us his love.

The Virgin Mary silently awaited God's Word of salvation; she welcomed it; she listened to it; she conceived it. In her, God became close. This is why the Church calls Mary a “Cause of our joy”. #Angelus

Looking at the image of Our Lady of #Guadalupe, we see these three realities reflected: abundance, blessing and gift. God always gives Himself in abundance in His blessings.

Accompanied by the Mother of Jesus on the journey towards Christmas, in these times that are difficult for many, let us make an effort to rediscover the great hope and joy brought to us by the coming of the Son of God into the world. #Advent

Everyone is called to contribute with courage and determination to the respect for the fundamental rights of every person, especially the "invisible": of the many who are hungry and thirsty, who are naked, sick, outcast or imprisoned.

God listens to the cry of those who invoke Him. Even our reluctant questions, those that remain in the depths of our heart. The Father wishes to give us the Holy Spirit, which inspires every #prayer and transforms everything. It is a question of patience, of supporting the wait.

150 years after the proclamation of St Joseph as Patron of the Catholic Church, I would like to share some personal reflections on this extraordinary figure, so close to our own human experience. http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_letters/documents/papa-francesco-lettera-ap_20201208_patris-corde.html …

The uncontaminated beauty of our Mother is incomparable, but at the same time it attracts us. Let us entrust ourselves to her and say “no” to sin and “yes” to Grace once and for all. #Angelus

I want to be close to all doctors and nurses during this time in which the pandemic calls us to be near all men and women who suffer. Thank you for drawing near to them, thanks for your tenderness, thanks for your professionalism in taking care of the sick.

Conversion is a grace that we need to forcefully ask God for. We are converted to the degree in which we open ourselves up to the beauty, the goodness, the tenderness of God. Thus let us leave what is false and fleeting for what is true, beautiful and everlasting. #GospelOfTheDay

Just as before our birth, our loved ones awaited us, so now Love in person awaits us. If we are awaited in Heaven, why should we be caught up with earthly concerns? Why should we waste time complaining about the night, when the light of day awaits us?

Come, Lord Jesus, make our distracted hearts watchful. Awaken within us the desire to pray and the need to love.

To help our society to “build back better”, inclusion of the vulnerable must also entail efforts to promote their active participation. #IDPD http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/pont-messages/2020/documents/papa-francesco_20201203_messaggio-disabilita.html …

Inclusion should be the “rock” on which to build programmes and initiatives of civil institutions meant to ensure that no one, especially those in greatest difficulty, is left behind. #IDPD

The first step of faith is to tell God that we need him, that we need him to be close to us. Thus, if we ask Jesus to come close to us, we will train ourselves to be watchful.

I want to assure my prayers for #Nigeria. Last Saturday more than one hundred farmers were brutally killed. May God welcome them in His peace and comfort their families, and convert the hearts of those who commit similar atrocities which gravely offend His name.

God’s grace changes lives: He takes us as we are, but He never leaves us as we are. #GeneralAudience

Today, as in the past, slavery is rooted in a notion of the human person that allows people to be treated like an object, it tramples their dignity. Slavery makes us "un-dignified" because it takes way everyone's dignity.