By Lucy Crossley Decay: Pope Francis has attacked Rome's 'moral decay', citing child prostitutes and busy soup kitchens in his adopted home city as examples of society's downfall Pope Francis has attacked Rome's 'moral decay', citing child prostitutes and busy soup kitchens in his adopted home city as examples of society's downfall. The 77-year-old Pontiff spoke of the 'tremendous pain' he felt over the darker side of the city in an interview to mark the feasts of Saints Peter and Paul. He also hit out at economic struggles, unemployment and Italy's falling birth rate, as well as expressing the view that communists had 'stolen' the flag of Christianity.
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Pontiff, 77, speaks out about his 'tremendous pain' over darker side of Rome
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Says he felt 'sick' to learn girls as young as 12 were working as prostitutes
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Rome should be a 'beacon to the world', but is instead a 'mirror of society's moral decay', Pope says in interview to mark feast day
But the @placeholder did have some positive marks for his new home, saying he found the people of Rome 'really likeable'.