During his weekly Mass at St. Peter’s Square on Wednesday he said: “The priest says ‘lift up your hearts’. He does not say, ‘lift up your mobile phones to take pictures’. “

In front of tens of thousands of people he added that using smartphones during the prayer service was an “awful” and “very ugly thing”.

Pope Francis said: “It makes me very sad when I celebrate (Mass) here in the piazza or in the basilica and I see so many phones held up.

“Not only by the faithful, but also by some priests and even bishops.

“The Mass is not a show…so remember, no phones”.

His remarks were met with laughter and a round of applause from the big crowd.

According to the Catholic News Service, His call to abandon smartphones during Mass was part of a new series of audience talks on the Mass.

The initiative is aimed at helping people “understand the true value and significance of the liturgy as an essential part of growing closer to God”.

Believers are being urged to ask God that authorities block moves to deport the group and allow members safe passage to relatives in South Korea.

Chief Executive of the advocacy group, Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Mervyn Thomas told Premier: “This is an urgent call for everybody; what future have any of them [the ten detainees] got if they’re put back into North Korea?”

The ten individuals, who range in age from three-years-old to the 60s, were arrested in the north eastern city of Shenyang last Saturday.

China has followed a policy of repatriating North Korean defectors, despite the risks of punishments awaiting detainees, including torture and execution.

Mervyn Thomas also said: “Even if not actually executed, the conditions of torture and abuse in North Korean detention centres and prison camps are so severe that imprisonment amounts to a death sentence.

“We appeal to China to show humanity and exercise responsibility by allowing these and all other North Korean Refugees safe passage to South Korea or a third country.”

The ten individuals hope to seek resettlement in South Korea, a country which recognises North Koreans as its own citizens.

Mr Thomas added: “As it becomes an increasingly influential world power, China must respect international humanitarian norms.

“Failure to do so renders China directly complicit with North Korea’s crimes against…

An official said the video is consistent with what witnesses attending the service said about the actions of Devin Patrick Kelley during the massacre which left 26 people dead, eight of them children.

News of the grisly video emerged as authorities released an official list of the dead.

Eight male victims and 17 female victims ranging in age from one to 77 were on the Texas Department of Public Safety list which also includes the unborn baby of Crystal Holcombe, identified on the list as Carlin Brite “Billy Bob” Holcombe, age 0 and gender unknown.

The remaining eight victims were children and teenagers ranging in age from one to 16 years old.

Authorities said one of the children died at a San Antonio-area hospital. The remaining victims all died at the scene.

Details of the dead came after it became clear that authorities missed at least three opportunities that might have offered law enforcement a way to stop Kelley from having access to guns long before he slaughtered much of the congregation in the middle of the service in Sutherland Springs.

Police recovered a Ruger AR-556 rifle at the church and two handguns from the shooter’s vehicle. All three weapons were purchased by Kelley, said Fred Milanowski, the agent in charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Houston.

Kelley, 26, shot himself after a car chase by two local residents.