Pope celebrates mass of ‘mercy’ with prisoners, refugees from Nigeria, others

Pope Francis on Sunday made a rare outing from Vatican City to celebrate a mass of “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 the congregation were inmates of two Roman prisons and one youth detention centre; refugees from Syria, Nigeria and Egypt; and nursing staff from a nearby hospital.

His sermon was on how important it was for Christians to serve others. The Pope said, “Sister, brother, do you want proof that God has touched your life? See if you can stoop to bind the wounds of others.

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“Let us not remain indifferent. Let us not live a one-way faith, a faith that receives but does not give, haven received mercy, let us now become merciful.”

The pope, who is 84 and was vaccinated for 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.

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