Pope Francis has confessed to a "darkness" in his own faith, admitting he sometimes finds it difficult to believe.

In a visit to the village of Guidonia, outside Rome, he spoke of the recent earthquake that struck northern Italy and its effects on people.

"Some days you can't see faith, and all is black," he said..

"I, too, have at times experienced moments of darkness in my faith, and my faith diminished a lot, but then, after a short time, I found it again."

The Holy Father has begun visiting parishes again after a one-year interval during the Year of Jubilee, which ended in December.

He opened up to parishioners and said: "Looking back at some moments my faith diminished to the point that I could not find it and I lived as if I did not have faith."

He added according to the Catholic site Crux: "The ups and downs of life can shake you up at times and cause you to loose a little faith, but with time you may find it again."

Speaking to younger people and children in the village on Sunday he told them there is "no point" in going to church if you don't follow Jesus' teaching.

The pontiff spoke against "Christian parrots" who talk a lot about religion but do not act on it.

"If I say I am Catholic and go to mass, but then don't speak with my parents, help my grandparents or the poor, go and see those who are sick, this does not prove my faith, there's no point," he said in a visit to Guidonia, a village outside Rome.

"Those who do this are nothing but Christian parrots – words, words, words," said the Pope, according to Italian newspaper La Stampa.

"Christian faith is expressed with three things: words, the heart, and the hands."