Pope Francis on Friday branded antisemitism part of a wave of “depraved hatred” sweeping some countries and urged everyone to be vigilant against it.

In comments to members of the American Jewish Committee during a visit to the Vatican, he also reiterated that it was sinful for Christians to hold antisemitic sentiments because they shared a heritage with Jews.

“A source of great concern to me is the spread, in many places, of a climate of wickedness and fury, in which an excessive and depraved hatred is taking root,” Francis said. “I think especially of the outbreak of antisemitic attacks in various countries.”

Francis did not name any of those countries, but government statistics released last month showed more than 500 antisemitic attacks occurred last year in France, which has Europe’s biggest Jewish community. That was a 74 percent increase from 2017.

“I stress that for a Christian any form of antisemitism is a rejection of one’s own origins, a complete contradiction,” Francis said.