<p>Four homeless people, one of them bringing his dog, helped Pope Francis celebrate his 77th birthday at the Vatican today.<br /><br /></p>.<p>They live on the street in the Rome neighbourhood just outside the Holy See's walls and were invited by the Vatican official in charge of alms-giving to attend the morning Mass which Francis celebrates daily at the hotel where he lives on Vatican City grounds, the Vatican said.<br /><br />One of the men held his dog as he was presented to Francis after the guests chatted following Mass.<br /><br />The Vatican also said Francis invited his household help to join him in a "family-like" atmosphere, and he spoke of them one by one during his homily.<br /><br />Francis, who is making history as one of the more informal and down-to-earth popes in recent times, struck a modest note as he reflected out loud about people's roles in the world. "Let the Lord write our history," he said in his homily.<br /><br />After Mass, all ate breakfast with Francis at the hotel's dining room.<br /><br />Francis has already blown out the candles on his birthday cake, presented to him on Saturday by children at the Vatican, but another present awaits him. A delegation from his favourite Argentine soccer team, San Lorenzo, from his home team in Buenos Aires, will give him a replica of their championship trophy.<br /><br />Vatican officials said no fixed time was set for the papal meeting with officials and at least one player from the team, an underdog which clinched the Argentine championship.<br /><br />The delegation flew from Argentina last night on a private plane, to arrive in Rome today.<br />"Arriving on such as special day, like the 77th birthday of the pope, this meeting seems made for God," said the team's vice president Marcelo Tinelli, shortly before departure.<br /><br />The team delegation might be presented to Francis before or after Wednesday's public audience at the Vatican, although Vatican officials didn't rule out a possibility of a meeting sometime on the pope's birthday.</p>
<p>Four homeless people, one of them bringing his dog, helped Pope Francis celebrate his 77th birthday at the Vatican today.<br /><br /></p>.<p>They live on the street in the Rome neighbourhood just outside the Holy See's walls and were invited by the Vatican official in charge of alms-giving to attend the morning Mass which Francis celebrates daily at the hotel where he lives on Vatican City grounds, the Vatican said.<br /><br />One of the men held his dog as he was presented to Francis after the guests chatted following Mass.<br /><br />The Vatican also said Francis invited his household help to join him in a "family-like" atmosphere, and he spoke of them one by one during his homily.<br /><br />Francis, who is making history as one of the more informal and down-to-earth popes in recent times, struck a modest note as he reflected out loud about people's roles in the world. "Let the Lord write our history," he said in his homily.<br /><br />After Mass, all ate breakfast with Francis at the hotel's dining room.<br /><br />Francis has already blown out the candles on his birthday cake, presented to him on Saturday by children at the Vatican, but another present awaits him. A delegation from his favourite Argentine soccer team, San Lorenzo, from his home team in Buenos Aires, will give him a replica of their championship trophy.<br /><br />Vatican officials said no fixed time was set for the papal meeting with officials and at least one player from the team, an underdog which clinched the Argentine championship.<br /><br />The delegation flew from Argentina last night on a private plane, to arrive in Rome today.<br />"Arriving on such as special day, like the 77th birthday of the pope, this meeting seems made for God," said the team's vice president Marcelo Tinelli, shortly before departure.<br /><br />The team delegation might be presented to Francis before or after Wednesday's public audience at the Vatican, although Vatican officials didn't rule out a possibility of a meeting sometime on the pope's birthday.</p>