Pope Francis has sharply criticised the Vatican bureaucracy in a pre-Christmas address to cardinals, complaining of what he called "spiritual Alzheimer's" and "the terrorism of gossip".
He said the Curia - the administrative pinnacle of the Roman Catholic Church - was suffering from 15 "ailments", which he wanted cured in the New Year.
Pope Francis also criticised "those who look obsessively at their own image".
He has demanded reform of the Curia.
There was silence at the end of the Pope's speech.
