Pope, suffering a cold, focuses on mothers and children before Christmas

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Leading the recitation of the Angelus prayer from inside the chapel of his residence because of a cold, Pope Francis nevertheless blessed the baby Jesus figurines children and adults will put in their Nativity scenes -- and he brought one of his own as well.

Touching the figurine, he said his baby Jesus, a gift from an archbishop, was made by Indigenous artisans from Ecuador.

Linked by video to St. Peter's Square Dec. 22, Pope Francis told hundreds of people gathered there that while he was feeling better, "I have to take precautions."

When the Vatican press office had announced the previous evening that the pope would lead the Angelus prayer from the chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae, it said the pope was doing so because of a cold and "also in view of his commitments in the coming week." Those include the opening of the Holy Door and celebration of Mass in St. Peter's Basilica Dec. 24, his annual Christmas address and blessing "urbi et orbi" (to the city and the world) Dec. 25 and opening a Holy Door and celebrating Mass Dec. 26 at Rome's Rebibbia prison.

In his main Angelus address, Pope Francis used the day's Gospel reading about a pregnant Mary visiting her pregnant cousin Elizabeth as an opportunity to talk about God's gifts of life and motherhood.

The reading, a few days before Christmas, should lead Christians to recognize God's "presence and his love close to us, for example in the gift of every life, of every child and of his or her mother."

With so many youngsters in the square for the blessing of the "bambinelli" -- the baby Jesus figurines -- Pope Francis asked people to look around and appreciate the mothers, especially expectant mothers.

"Let's bless the mothers and praise God for the gift of life," he said.

Referring to his "other diocese," a phrase he often uses to refer to the Archdiocese of Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he was archbishop until 2013, the pope said he liked taking the bus -- "I can't do that now" -- and seeing people give up their seat as soon as a pregnant woman boarded. "It is a gesture of hope and respect."

As part of one's preparations for Christmas, he said, it would be good to cultivate a sense of joy and awe anytime one encounters a pregnant woman or a mother carrying a child.

"And when that happens, let's pray in our hearts and say, like Elizabeth did, 'Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb.'"

"Let us sing, like Mary, 'My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,' so that every motherhood may be blessed, and in every mother in the world may the name of God be thanked and exalted for entrusting to men and women the power to give life to children," Pope Francis said.

And while he did not leave his residence Dec. 22, he did enjoy a brief performance and a visit from children, who brought him a belated birthday cake, which quickly was missing some of its icing.

The pope has made it a Christmastime tradition to meet with the children, who are assisted at the Vatican's Santa Marta pediatric clinic, which the Daughters of Charity run for families with special needs, often because they are not covered by the Italian health system.

"These children, and there were many, filled my heart with joy," the pope said, and repeated a message he said he had seen on television: "No child is a mistake."