Pope Francis urged priests to deliver short sermons during mass that "do not exceed eight minutes" so as not to cause parishioners to feel "drowsy." The Argentine pope, whose original name is Jorge Bergoglio, made this statement in an impromptu address during a weekly meeting with the faithful at the Vatican. He stated that the sermon delivered by priests after the reading of the Gospel should be brief, taking the form of an image, a reflection, or a feeling.
He added, "Sermons should not exceed eight minutes because (the believers) lose interest after this time and become drowsy, and they are right to do so. This is how the sermon should be, and this is what I want to tell priests who speak too much, often without us understanding what they say." This is not the first time the Holy Father has given this advice. In 2023, Pope Francis specifically referred to lengthy sermons as a "disaster."
