Vatican City, Dec 17, 2015 / 13:00 pm
A chorus burst of 'Happy Birthday' and the smell of birthday cake filled the Vatican today as a crowd of young people from the Italian lay movement 'Azione Cattolica' gathered to festively wish Pope Francis a happy birthday as he turned 79 years old.
After the Pope blew out his birthday candle, he addressed the young people who were gathered for their annual Christmas audience, thanking them for the birthday cake and well wishes. The Holy Father went on to bless the movement's commitment to the mission of welcoming migrants and encouraged them to become missionaries of Christ.
To "journey towards the Lord means to take the good road - not the evil one; it means to put oneself on the road of forgiveness, of peace, of solidarity," Pope Francis told the youth.
"In this regard, your initiative in favor of Migrants in the Agrigento diocese is a very good one," he continued.