The pontiff has urged people to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

The pope’s appeal appears in a video, which also features catholic bishops from the United States and Central and South America.

“Thanks to God and to the work of many, we now have vaccines to protect us from COVID-19,” the pope says in the video. “Vaccines bring hope to end the pandemic, but only if they are available to all and if we collaborate with one another.”

Pope Francis says being inoculated with vaccines authorised by competent authorities was “an act of love”.

“Vaccination is a simple but profound way of promoting the common good and caring for each other, especially the most vulnerable,” he said.

The pope has previously spoken about the importance of vaccines, while emphasising that they must be distributed equally, especially to poor countries.

Not all senior catholic clergy, however, have been singing from the same hymn sheet. American cardinal Raymond Leo Burke has been an outspoken critic of vaccines and even of social distancing.

Burke said that the coronavirus “has been used by certain forces, inimical to families and to the freedom of nations to advance their evil agenda”.

Later, after a visit to Wisconsin, he tested positive for COVID-19, was admitted to hospital and was on a ventilator.