n his "historic" message to the Christians of the Middle East on the eve marking Christmas celebrations late last year, Pope Francis encouraged them to support what is most beneficial for social life through the testimony of love in order to attain peace needed in the region such as hunger for bread. Due to the fact that the future of love is being tested, he also urged them to upgrade the "culture of encounter'' as well as human dignity and the absolute value of every human being.

Francis presides over the Vespers at the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls in Rome at the end of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity: “We need one another,” the Holy Spirit is the way.

At today’s Angelus, January 25, Francis appealed for the violence in Ukraine to stop. “God wants Christians to be united. Jesus had the same material and spiritual thirst as us”

Today Pope Francis resumed his morning masses in St. Martha’s House following his visit to the Philippines. “Salvation” and “intercession” are the “key words” that define Christ. “The people were a bit bored with the way the teachers of the Law taught the faith”.

In his interview with journalists on the return flight from Manila Francis talked about an experience he had in Buenos Aires, when officials asked for a bribe in exchange for funds for the poor. He mentioned gender as an example of the “colonisation of peoples”, recalling dictatorships’ attempts at indoctrination. He announced forthcoming trips to Africa and Latin America and repeated the example of the punch. While talking about falling birth rates he also pointed out that being Catholic does not mean breeding “like rabbits”. He said he was touched by the gestures of the Filipinos.

Pope Francis has praised the Jordanian spirit of hospitality demonstrated towards the refugees of Middle Eastern countries. Pope Francis said, in his annual address on Monday, January 12, to diplomats accredited to the Holy See on the occasion of exchanging good wishes marking the advent of the new year: "I found the spirit of hospitality in Jordan which I visited at the beginning of my pilgrimage to the Holy Land", referring in particular to the commitment to hosting refugees coming from other countries of the Middle East.

In his homily at the mass celebrated with bishops, priests and seminarians in Manila’s Cathedral, Francis said: “They are the heart of the Gospel”. Family and marriage “are increasingly under attack from powerful forces which threaten to disfigure God’s plan for creation”. After mass the Pope embraced street children.

The Paris attacks, religious freedom and freedom of expression, responsibility. On the flight from Sri Lanka to the Philippines, Pope Francis explained: “Reacting with violence is not right, but if someone insults my mother, that’s asking for a punch. Benedict XVI spoke about a positivist mentality that considers religions as subcultures”

During the ceremony for the Canonization of St. Joseph Vaz, the Pope praised his non-aggressive missionary work in service of the poor, reaffirmed religious freedom as a “fundamental human right” and spoke of a Church that “goes out”

Francis’ final meeting for today,January 13, - the first day of his visit to Sri Lanka - was with representatives of religions: “We must be clear and unequivocal in challenging our communities to live fully the tenets of peace and coexistence found in each religion, and to denounce acts of violence when they are committed”.