Pope Francis
Pope Francis kisses a child as he arrives in the popemobile prior a mass with Mexican indigenous people in San Cristobal de las Casas, Mexico, Feb. 15, 2016. Getty Images/ Miguel Tovar

Pope Francis, the supreme head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City, turns 82 on Monday.

The pope had a pre-birthday celebration at the Paul VI hall before the Sunday Angelus, where he hosted sick children from the free health clinic inside the Vatican. The event included a surprise birthday cake, singing and music.

“We cannot get used to the situations of degradation and misery that surround us. A Christian must react,” a sign hanging over the table, which contained the cake, read.

“I’m happy to be with you. I wish you a Merry Christmas, a good holy Christmas to all, and I thank you very much for what you do, really,” the pope said, Catholic News Agency reported. “And, also, I hope that there is no indigestion with that cake so big!”

The 226th pope of the Catholic Church is known for his controversial opinions which do not always align with the teachings of Christianity. For example, he championed climate change mitigation measures, pleaded for a peaceful resolution to the deadly civil war in Syria, and suggested contraception and other means to avoid pregnancy as an acceptable way to fight the spread of Zika virus.

Here are a few inspiring quotes from Pope Francis, courtesy Brainy Quote:

“God never gives someone a gift they are not capable of receiving. If he gives us the gift of Christmas, it is because we all have the ability to understand and receive it.”

“Although the life of a person is in a land full of thorns and weeds, there is always a space in which the good seed can grow. You have to trust God.”

“Human rights are not only violated by terrorism, repression or assassination, but also by unfair economic structures that creates huge inequalities.”

“This is important: to get to know people, listen, expand the circle of ideas. The world is crisscrossed by roads that come closer together and move apart, but the important thing is that they lead towards the Good.”

“A little bit of mercy makes the world less cold and more just.”

“A person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges is not Christian. This is not in the Gospel.”

“If one has the answers to all the questions - that is the proof that God is not with him. It means that he is a false prophet using religion for himself. The great leaders of the people of God, like Moses, have always left room for doubt. You must leave room for the Lord, not for our certainties; we must be humble.”

“Jesus teaches us another way: Go out. Go out and share your testimony, go out and interact with your brothers, go out and share, go out and ask. Become the Word in body as well as spirit.”

“Each of us has a vision of good and of evil. We have to encourage people to move towards what they think is good... Everyone has his own idea of good and evil and must choose to follow the good and fight evil as he conceives them. That would be enough to make the world a better place.”

“Grace is not part of consciousness; it is the amount of light in our souls, not knowledge nor reason.”

“I believe in God — not in a Catholic God; there is no Catholic God. There is God, and I believe in Jesus Christ, his incarnation. Jesus is my teacher and my pastor, but God, the Father, Abba, is the light and the Creator. This is my Being.”

“An example I often use to illustrate the reality of vanity, is this: look at the peacock; it's beautiful if you look at it from the front. But if you look at it from behind, you discover the truth... Whoever gives in to such self-absorbed vanity has huge misery hiding inside them.”

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