Pope Francis called on every European parish and religious community to take in at least one family of asylum seekers each in a gesture of solidarity that will start in the Vatican state.
"I appeal to the parishes, the religious communities, the monasteries and sanctuaries of all Europe to ... take in one family of refugees," he said after his Sunday address in the Vatican.
The call goes out to tens of thousands of parishes in Europe as the numbers of asylum seekers entering Europe reach record levels.
The crowd in St. Peter's Square applauded as the pontiff, himself the grandson of Italian emigrants to Argentina, said: "Every parish, every religious community, every monastery, every sanctuary of Europe, take in one family."
The Vatican’s two parishes will take in two families each in the coming days, said the Pope.
The Pope stated that taking in a family was a “concrete gesture” to prepare for the Holy Year on the theme of mercy which is set to begin on December 8.
