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

(Image credit: Franco Origlia/Getty Images)

last updated 15 January 2015

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."