
Pope Francis told new mothers they should feel to breastfeed during a ceremony to baptise 33 infants in the Sistine Chapel on Sunday.

'You mothers give your children milk and even now, if they cry because they are hungry, breastfeed them, don't worry,' he said, departing from his prepared text.

The written text of his homily had the phrase 'give them milk,' but he changed it to use the Italian term 'allattateli', which means 'breastfeed them,' and added that they should not hesitate.

Welcome to the Catholic church: Pope Francis tips holy water on to the forehead of a baby during a mass baptism in Rome on Sunday

'Breastfeed them': The pope surprised observers by urging mothers of restive infants to give them some milk

As the room famous for Michelangelo's frescoes echoed with the cries of the 20 girls and 13 boys, Francis asked the congregation to remember poor mothers around the world, 'too many ... who can't give food to their children'.

Even before he read the homily, at least one mother was seen breastfeeding, perhaps recalling that the pope had used similar words to make mothers feel at ease before.

Baptism is the sacrament at which infants or converts are initiated into the Christian faith. Francis poured water on the foreheads of the infants as part of the ritual. Francis spoke each baby's name and poured water from a golden shell-shaped cup into their foreheads, welcoming them into their religion - despite the apparent protestations of some.

'Teach your children that you can not be a Christian outside the Church, you can not follow Jesus Christ without the Church, because the Church is mother, and makes us grow in love for Jesus Christ,' he counselled parents.

He also urged the parents - who were all Vatican employees - to make a good example to the young initiates by reading the Gospel on a daily basis.

'Always carry a small Gospel in your pocket, purse, to read it,' Francis said. 'And this will be an example to the children, to see dad, mum, godparents, grandfather, grandmother, uncles, read the Word of God.'

Charity: Francis asked the congregation to remember poor mothers around the world, 'too many ... who can't give food to their children'

Piety: He also urged the parents to make a good example to the young initiates by reading the Gospel on a daily basis

For the first time in his pontificate, Francis celebrated Mass with his back to the faithful, according to the rites before the modernising reforms of the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s.

It did not appear to be a theological statement by the pope, who has made clear he doesn't particularly care for the pre-Vatican II Latin Mass rites, but rather in deference to the original layout of the Sistine Chapel where priests traditionally face away from the congregation.

Francis gave Mass as part of the celebration of the Baptism of the Lord, the Christian feast which commemorates the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River by John the Baptist.

The annual ceremony, marking the end of the Christmas season, is held the first Sunday after the January 6 Epiphany.

'You can not follow Jesus Christ without the Church,' the pope said during the ceremony to celebrate the feast of the Baptism of the Lord

Thirty-three, the number of babies Francis baptised, is believed to be the age of Jesus at the time of the crucifixion and resurrection.

In the Bible, some experts say, it is connected to the promises of God. The 33rd time Noah's name is used in the Bible is when God makes a convenant with him not to destroy the entire world with a flood again, according to biblestudy.org. On the 33rd mention of Abraham's name, Isaac, a child of promise, is born. Thirty-three is also the number of divisions on the globe as seen on the UN flag.