Between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Pope condemns 'virus' of consumerism
Pope spoke between the two biggest shopping days of the year in rich countries such as the United States - Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Online sales in the United States reached $7.4 billion on Friday, up nearly 20% from last year.
Pope Francis
Pope Francis on Sunday urged people to resist the excesses of consumerism in the period leading up to Christmas, calling it a virus that attacks faith and offends the needy.
(Photograph:Reuters)
Pope Francis
"When you live for things, things are never enough, greed grows, other people become obstacles in a race," he said in the homily of a Mass, decrying that in many places in the world today "consumerism reigns supreme."
(Photograph:Reuters)
Black Friday
Pope spoke between the two biggest shopping days of the year in rich countries such as the United States - Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Online sales in the United States reached $7.4 billion on Friday, up nearly 20% from last year.
(Photograph:AFP)
Black Friday
The Pope said "consumerism is a virus that corrodes faith" because it makes people forget "the brother who knocks at your door".
(Photograph:AFP)
;Black Friday
He urged people to "resist the blinding lights of consumerism, which will shine everywhere this month" leading up to Christmas.