Pope Francis on Thursday urged thousands of Catholic pilgrims to always remember to pardon others in order to gain God's forgiveness.
"Never forget to pardon," he told the pilgrims gathered outside the central Italian city of Assisi's Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels after his visit to the church.
"Forgive from your heart because if we forgive [others], the Lord will forgive us, and we all need forgiveness," he added.
"If anyone doesn't need forgiveness, raise your hand," he quipped.
God never tires of pardoning us completely whenever we ask him to, Francis said.
"The world needs forgiveness: too many people live trapped within rancour, allowing hatred to grow," he warned.
"Because they are incapable of forgiving, they ruin their and other people's lives."
"Never stop being humble signs of forgiveness and instruments of mercy," Francis concluded.
