Pope Francis baptises baby of an unmarried couple in the Sistine Chapel during Baptism Of The Lord mass at the Vatican



Pope Francis was conducting Baptism Of The Lord mass today

He baptised 32 children, including one of unmarried parents

Francis has supported baptising the children of unmarried mothers

Pope Francis today baptised the child of an unmarried couple during a ceremony in the Sistine Chapel, in Rome.

The unnamed parents and their child took part in the traditional Baptism Of The Lord mass with 31 others, commemorating the day St John baptised Jesus.

The Pope has previously spoken out to encourage priests to baptise the children of unmarried women in order to pass on the Christian faith, calling those who refuse 'hypocrites'.

Pope Francis today baptised the child of an unmarried couple (not pictured) during a ceremony in the Sistine Chapel in Rome

According to the Vatican Network, he said: 'You parents have the baby boy or girl to be baptised, but in a few years it will be they who will have a baby to be baptised, or a grandchild... And so goes the chain of faith.



'What does this mean? I would just tell you this: you are the ones that transmit the faith, the transmitters, you have a duty to pass on the faith to these children. It 's the most beautiful legacy that you leave to them: the faith.'

Speaking in the relaxed manner that has become his trademark, Francis broke with the tradition of delivering a long and formal speech, instead reading a short script he had written himself.

The Baptism of the Lord mass is a traditional feature of the Vatican calendar and marks the anniversary of St John the Baptist washing Jesus in the river of Jordan

During the mass Pope Francis baptised 32 children in the same room in which he was elected in March last year

The mass took place under the famous fresco painted by Michelangelo, the same room in which Francis was elected on March 13 as the first non-European pope in 1,600 years.

In September the pontiff telephoned an Italian woman to tell her he would personally baptise her child after she became pregnant by a man who was already married.

Shop worker Anna Romano, 35, was on holiday when she received the call from the Argentinian Pope.



Pope Francis has previously spoken out to criticise priests who refuse to baptise the babies of unmarried women, calling them 'hypocrites' and emphasising the duty parents have to pass on faith to their children



At the time she said: 'I addressed the letter simply to Pope Francis, the Vatican and put it in the post. I didn't even send it recorded delivery. I didn't really expect to get a reply but then out of the blue when I was on holiday I had a phone call from him.



'The number was from Rome, with a 06 dial code, and as soon as he started speaking I recognised the voice as his.



'I was just so surprised that he had telephoned me. He said that he had read my letter and he wanted to speak to me personally about it and reassure me that someone was worried about me.





