Pope Francis has upheld the dignity of European gypsies, but told them to lay off swindles.
The pope condemned xenophobia and discrimination against gypsies, but also said they must play their part in society, obey laws and send their children to school.
He was speaking at an audience at the Vatican arranged for some 7,000 Roma, Sinti and other traveller people.
“Time has come to uproot secular prejudice, preconceived ideas and the reciprocal diffidence that are often at the base of discrimination, racism and xenophobia” the Pope said.
He added: “No one is entitled to trample on the dignity and the rights of others”.
The Pontiff reportedly called on the Roma, Sinti and other travelling groups to foster friendship with the rest of society, before adding, “You can do this if you are good Christians, avoiding all that is not worthy of this name: lies, frauds, swindles, fighting”.
He also mentioned drug trafficking, human trafficking and the abuse of gypsy children, many of whom are sent out to beg in European cities.
Francis said that while the state had to guarantee education, it was "the duty of adults to see to it that children go to school".
Pope Francis has made several visits to Roma camps near Rome and has condemned the conditions in which many live.
“We do not want to have to witness any more family tragedies in which children die from cold or are burnt in fires,” he said.
