Pope Francis hugs a baby dressed as Santa Claus during audience with children and family from the dispensary of Santa Marta, a Vatican charity that offers special help to mothers and children in need, in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2018. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
The Associated Press
VATICAN CITY (AP) - Children who frequent a Vatican pediatric dispensary have given Pope Francis a birthday cake, a day before he turns 82.
Francis joked with them Sunday, saying he hoped "such a big cake doesn't give indigestion" and blew out a candle atop the treat decorated in the Vatican's yellow-and-white official colors.
He said children are good at teaching grown-ups to be humble, to better understand life and people.
Francis said: "The proud, the arrogant, can't understand life because they're incapable of lowering themselves."
As if to make his point, Francis declined to sit on an upholstered chair, opting to perch on the Vatican auditorium's stage steps.
The charity dispensary, with the help of doctors, nurses and other volunteers, assists some 400 children, many of them from immigrant families, and their mothers.
Pope Francis' butler Sandro Mariotti,left, removes a chair after the pontiff decided to sit on a step of a stage during audience with children and family from the dispensary of Santa Marta, a Vatican charity that offers special help to mothers and children in need, in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2018. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
The Associated Press
Pope Francis blows a candle atop of a cake he was offered on the eve of his 82nd birthday during audience with children and family from the dispensary of Santa Marta, a Vatican charity that offers special help to mothers and children in need, in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2018. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
The Associated Press
Pope Francis blows a candle atop of a cake he was offered on the eve of his 82nd birthday during audience with children and family from the dispensary of Santa Marta, a Vatican charity that offers special help to mothers and children in need, in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2018. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
The Associated Press
Pope Francis looks at a cake he was offered on the eve of his 82nd birthday during audience with children and family from the dispensary of Santa Marta, a Vatican charity that offers special help to mothers and children in need, in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2018. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
The Associated Press
Pope Francis blows a candle atop of a cake he was offered on the eve of his 82nd birthday during audience with children and family from the dispensary of Santa Marta, a Vatican charity that offers special help to mothers and children in need, in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2018. The writing on the bottom of the cake reads: " We can not get use to decay and poverty situation that are around us. A Christian must react ". (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
The Associated Press
Pope Francis walks with children towards a cake he was offered on the eve of his 82nd birthday during audience with children and family from the dispensary of Santa Marta, a Vatican charity that offers special help to mothers and children in need, in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2018. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
The Associated Press
A woman feeds a baby prior to the start of an audience of Pope Francis with children and family from the dispensary of Santa Marta, a Vatican charity that offers special help to mothers and children in need, in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2018. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
The Associated Press