POPE Francis has called for people to spend less time on their phones at mealtimes and to get talking, citing Jesus, Mary and Joseph as examples.

Francis told a gathering in St Peter's Square on Sunday that the three "prayed, worked and communicated with each other."

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He added: "I ask myself if you, in your family, know how to communicate or are you like those kids at mealtables where everyone is chatting on their mobile phone... where there is silence like at a Mass but they don't communicate."

"We have to get back to communicating in our families.

"Fathers, parents, children, grandparents, brothers and sisters, this is a task to undertake today, on the day of the Holy Family."

The unscripted remarks were made during the Pope's weekly Angelus address.

Francis himself is an avid social media user, boasting more than 18 million Twitter followers.

In the past he has been snapped taking selfies with pilgrims.

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Sunday's remarks were not the first time Francis has commented about his followers spending too much time on their devices, especially during Mass.

In 2017, the Pope said: "At a certain point the priest leading the ceremony says, 'Lift up our hearts.' He doesn't say, 'Lift up our mobile phones to take photographs.' It's a very ugly thing.

"It's so sad when I'm celebrating mass here or inside the basilica and I see lots of phones held up - not just by the faithful, but also by priests and bishops! Please!"

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