His address to the faithful from the Vatican in Rome during Saturday’s mass focused on Mary, the mother of Jesus, as Francis drew inspiration from her delivering her child in a humble manger.

“Mary now finds herself in the dark stable of Bethlehem. Yet that is where she gives God to the world. Others, before the scandal of the manger, might feel deeply troubled. She does not,” Francis preached. “Let us learn from the Mother of God how to have that same attitude: to keep and to ponder […] We hope that everything will be alright and then, like a bolt from the blue, an unexpected problem arises. Our expectations clash painfully with reality.”

He spoke out against violence against women as the homily drew to an end, saying: “And since mothers bestow life, and women ‘keep’ the world, let us all make greater efforts to promote mothers and to protect women. How much violence is directed against women! Enough! To hurt a woman is to insult God, who from a woman took on our humanity.”