The unscripted message of Pope Francis in Mexico

Mexico City, Mexico, Feb 13, 2016 / 19:41 pm

Upon arriving in Mexico the evening of Feb. 12, Pope Francis traveled to the Apostolic Nunciature, where he spent the night– but not without a surprise.

Shortly after arriving, the Pope came out to greet the crowds, speaking in a short, unscheduled address about the Blessed Mother.

With hundreds of people gathered, the Holy Father spent about 10 minutes addressing the crowd. He prayed with them and blessed them.

Francis asked those present to pray "for the people that I love and also for those that I do not love and for those that are angry, jealous or envious." 

The Pope also asked for prayers to the Mother of God for those that "have harmed us" so that the "Lord may give us the strength" to forgive them. 

The Holy Father then gave his blessing and reminded those gathered that "tomorrow is Saturday, it is a day that's kind of free and then the day after is Sunday which is a day of rest and we have a lot of activities. We have to all be rested." 

"Tomorrow we will get together again, but do not forget, while on the way home and before going to sleep, remember what I told you: the people that we love, those that we do not, and those that have harmed us so that the Virgen may bless them.

"Good night, rest well, and may God Bless you," Francis concluded. 

Pope Francis' Feb. 12-17 trip to Mexico is his first as pontiff. He is the third Pope to visit the nation: St. John Paul II visited Mexico five times over the course of his 27 year pontificate, and Benedict XVI in 2012.