Pope Francis Viral Video: Why Pontiff Said 'Devil Punishes Mexico' [VIDEO]

An interview recorded several months ago by the newspaper "El Observador," has become viral in the context of the series of earthquakes that have recently hit Mexico. In the video interview, his Holiness Pope Francis is seen and heard explaining why the Devil, according to his word, punishes Mexico.

In the fragment, the pontiff explains that Mexico is a victim of so many catastrophes because they are devotees of the Virgin of Guadalupe: "I think that the devil punishes Mexico with much anger because the devil doesn’t forgive Mexico that she [the Virgin of Guadalupe] has shown her son there. It is an interpretation of mine, that is, Mexico is privileged in martyrdom for having recognized, defended its mother," narrates the Argentine pope.

"You are going to find Catholic Mexicans, not Catholics, atheists, but all Guadeloupians, that is, they all feel the children of the one who brought the Savior, who destroyed the devil," says Francis. "I believe that the devil passed the historic ballot to Mexico, and for that reason all these things," added the pope.

The 80-year-old comments generated many opinions on Facebook. Some in favor and others against began conversations and discussions that to some extent became heated. "How ironic ... the Catholic religion that has contributed so much to resignation, subordination and misery in Mexico speaks of the Devil in the third person," said one user.

"Open your understanding, as the Apostle Paul said, a painted cloth is going to be divine? Please, the mother of Jesus is called Maria, not Guadalupe, this is an invention of the Roman religion to subjugate this country that believed in other gods and deceit has worked until today. Wakeup Catholic friends and READ your Bible," another user advised Mexicans.

One Facebook user, approving the words of the Pope, commented that they should ask for protection of the Virgin. "For that reason we ask for her special and loving protection, because the devil has proclaimed her Queen and she has stepped over his head. She is our shield and she intercedes for us, she knows that we pay that bill and she never leaves us alone."

After the recent earthquake in Mexico of 7.1 magnitude, Vatican Radio informed in their official website that Pope Francis donated an initial contribution of US $150,000 to the earthquake relief effort in Mexico. The money is to help survivors and victims’ families in the worst hit areas of the country, and would be sent through the Dicastery for Integral Human Development.

The money will be divided between emergency relief efforts in the dioceses hit by the earthquake. The donation, which is intended to show the pope’s solidarity and spiritual closeness to those affected by the disaster, is a small part of the financial support being sent to Mexico through many bishops conferences and Caritas organizations.

The pontiff is the 266th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pope Francis is the first Jesuit pope, the first from the Americas, the first from the Southern Hemisphere, the first to have a papal name without a number title since Lando in 913 AD, and the first Pope from outside Europe since the Syrian Gregory III, who reigned in the 8th century.

He became Pope after the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI on February 28, 2013. A papal conclave elected Bergoglio as his successor on March 13. He chose Francis as his papal name in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi.