VATICAN CITY -- Pope Francis addressed a congregation of about 4,000 poor and homeless people on the margins of society Friday, asking for their “forgiveness” and praying with them, Vatican sources said.

 Addressing the congregation of the socially marginalized, the pope asked for “forgiveness” from the poor assembled for their jubilee -- “forgiveness on behalf of all Christians, for every time that Christians, before a poor person or situations of poverty, have turned the other way.”

 “Your forgiveness for church-going men and women that have not even looked at you is holy water for us, purity for us, it helps us want to believe that poverty is at the heart of the Gospel as a great message,” he continued.

 “Passion, dreams and dignity” were the three words that Francis directed to about thousands of “socially excluded people” from 22 countries around the world assembled for their jubilee.

 In a hearing in which the pope listened to various testimonies, hugged, and place his hand on the heads of some of the poor, the head of the Holy See reiterated -- “poor yes, slaves no. Poor yes, dominated no. Poor yes, without dignity no.”

 While the Argentine pope greeted the attendees, there tears and applause continued to flow, as happened all throughout his speech, which he gave in Spanish.

 “When you have lots of riches, you forget about the poor, when you are poor you manage to help out those who suffer, thank you for this example. The pontiff called the poor, the “craftsmen of peace,” which the world, the churches, the religions need.

 “The greatest poverty is war,” he said, repeating that “the poor are at the heart of the Church, this is Christ’s message.”

 The pontiff then concluded his speech by praying with six homeless people holding onto his robes.

 nkd