He made the remarks a day after the start of the Roman Catholic Church’s Holy Year, known as a Jubilee, which takes place every quarter century. On Tuesday evening, Francis opened the Holy Door in St. Peter’s Basilica so that the first pilgrims could go through. Millions more are expected to follow over the year.

The major tenants of the Church's jubilee, a once-every-25-year tradition, include forgiveness and reconciliation with adversaries, as well as pilgrimages to Rome.

Pope Francis opened the "Holy Door" of St Peter's Basilica on Christmas Eve on Tuesday, launching the Jubilee year of Catholic celebrations set to draw more than 30 million pilgrims to Rome. Pope Francis then presided over the Christmas Eve mass in St Peter's,