Pope Francis on Charlie Hebdo: 'One cannot make fun of faith'


During a recent press interview on his flight to the Philippines, Pope Francis spoke about freedom of speech and the recent Paris attacks, along with Charlie Hebdo's new cover. Francis said that while "one cannot make fun of faith," "to kill in the name of God is an aberration."
Pope Francis explained that "there is a limit" to freedom of expression, saying that "every religion has its dignity," and that dignity should be respected. While he condemned the Paris attacks, Francis also said that those who say inflammatory remarks are likely to experience retaliation.
"If [a close friend] says a swear word against my mother, he's going to get a punch in the nose," Francis said. "One cannot provoke, one cannot insult other people's faith, one cannot make fun of faith." He added, however, that one should never "kill in the name of one's own religion."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Meghan DeMaria is a staff writer at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked for USA Today and Marie Claire.
-
5 explosively funny cartoons about the 4th of July
Cartoons Artists take on liberty and justice for all, a terrifying firework, and more
-
Jeff in Venice: a "triumph of tackiness"?
In the Spotlight Locals protest as Bezos uses the city as a 'private amusement park' for his wedding celebrations
-
Sudoku medium: July 5, 2025
The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
-
Southern Baptists endorse gay marriage ban
Speed Read The largest US Protestant denomination voted to ban same-sex marriage and pornography at their national meeting
-
Prevost elected first US pope, becomes Leo XIV
speed read Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost is a Chicago native who spent decades living in Peru
-
Pope Francis dies at 88
Speed Read 'How much contempt is stirred up at times toward the vulnerable, the marginalized and migrants,' Pope Francis wrote in his final living message
-
Pope returns to Vatican after long hospital stay
Speed Read Pope Francis entered the hospital on Feb. 14 and battled double pneumonia
-
Texas megachurch founder charged with sex crimes
Speed Read Robert Morris, former spiritual adviser to President Donald Trump, is accused of sexually abusing a child
-
Pope Francis suffers setback with respiratory episodes
Speed Read The 88-year-old pope continues to battle pneumonia
-
US Christianity's long decline has halted, Pew finds
Speed Read 62% of Americans call themselves Christian, a population that has been 'relatively stable' for the past five years
-
Pope Francis hospitalized with 'complex' illness
Speed Read The Vatican says their leader has a respiratory infection, raising new concerns about his health