The Pope says Christians and the Church must strip themselves of worldliness and not become 'pastry shop Christians... like nice sweet things but not real Christians'. Pope Francis made the comment while addressing some of the poor in the Italian hill town of Assisi early on Friday.
He was on a one-day trip to visit sites associated with St Francis of Assisi - whose name he adopted when elected. The pontiff delivered his message in the same hall in which St. Francis, about 800 years ago, undressed himself and laid his fine clothes at his wealthy father's feet, renouncing his riches and inheritance in favour of a life of poverty consecrated to God.
He said:
"Without the Cross, without Jesus and without stripping ourselves of worldliness, we become pastry shop Christians... like nice sweet things but not real Christians.
"We need to strip the Church. We are in very grave danger. We are in danger of worldliness.
"The Christian cannot enter into the spirit of the world, which leads to vanity, arrogance and pride. And these lead to idolatry, which is the gravest sin.
"The Church is all of us and we all have to strip ourselves of this worldliness. Worldliness does us harm. It is so sad to find a worldly Christian.
"Our Lord told us: We cannot serve two masters: either we serve money or we serve God....We can't cancel with one hand what we write with another.
"The Gospel is the Gospel."
St. Francis of Assisi was renown for drinking and partying in his youth.
After fighting in a battle between Assisi and Perugia, Francis was captured and imprisoned at ransom.
He spent nearly a year in prison awaiting his father's ransom and, during this time, reportedly began receiving visions from God.
After his release from prison, Francis reportedly heard the voice of Christ, who told him to repair the Christian Church and live a life of poverty.
He abandoned his life of luxury and devoted his life to Christianity, and became known all over the Christian world. Franciscan Sister Janet Sands is from the Catholic Missions Society.
She told Premier's Des Busteed on the News Hour why it's such an important visit:
The 13th Century Saint is also known as the patron saint of animals as well as the environment.
It is customary for Catholic and Anglican churches to hold ceremonies blessing animals on his feast day of October with service with a difference is taking place in Derby to mark the feast day of St Francis.
This Sunday, parishoners have been granted permission to bring thier pets into the cathedral for a blessing.
St Francis of Assisi was known for his special friendship with all creatures great and small. Jackie Croft is the Administrator at Derby Cathedral and told Premier's Des Busteed on the News Hour why they're doing it:
During mass Pope Francis also called for an end to armed conflict and clarified the notion of Franciscan peace during the Mass he presided for the feast of St. Francis. A few thousand people gathered for the late morning celebration in St. Francis Square, situated before the world-famous shrine dedicated to the patron saint of the poor. The Pope celebrated at a simple altar, behind which stood a giant two-bar wooden cross and on which hung a representation of the San Damiano Cross.
Preaching his homily from the ambo, the Pope underlined the relevant witness St. Francis continues to offer.
"His first and most essential witness is this: that being a Christian means having a living relationship with the person of Jesus; it means putting on Christ, being conformed to him," he said. "Where did Francis' journey to Christ begin? It began with the gaze of the crucified Jesus," he said.
"With letting Jesus look at us at the very moment that he gives his life for us and draws us to himself. "When we let the crucified Jesus gaze upon us, we are re-created, we become 'a new creation'."
He also visited the Hermitage of the Prisons where he prayed in St. Francis' cell.
During his visit the Pope also visited the Serafico Institute, a religious charitable institution that cares for sick and disabled children. He approached each of them, held their hands, caressed their faces, signed the Cross on their foreheads and often kissed them on the cheek.
The Pope concluded by giving all of those present his blessing, which was followed by applause and shouts of "Long live the Pope!".