Pope Francis has chastised priests, bishops and other massgoers who take pictures with their cellphones during Mass, saying they should focus on God instead.
During his weekly audience in Saint Peter's Square, the pontiff referred to a communion prayer used in the Mass, saying: "The priest says 'lift up your hearts'. He does not say, 'lift up your cell phones to take pictures.'"
In his improvised remarks, to tens of thousands of pilgrims and other visitors, he called using cell phones during Mass "a very ugly thing," adding:
"It makes me very sad when I celebrate (Mass) here in the piazza (Square) or in the (St Peter's) basilica and I see so many cell phones held up. Not only by the faithful, but also by some priests and even bishops!
"The mass is not a show... so remember, no cell phones!" he said, prompting laughter and applause from the crowd.
Pope Francis, the leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics, has regularly urged the faithful to be more spiritual and his priests and bishops to be more humble.
Shortly after his election in 2013, he said it pained him to see priests driving flashy cars and eager to use the latest smartphone.
The pope is driven around in a simple blue Ford Focus and is not known to have ever used a cell phone in public since his election.
