VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis yesterday urged young people not to allow themselves to be silenced and to stand up for what they believe in, a day after more than a million people in the United States took part in student-led protests demanding tighter gun control, reports AFP.

"Dear young people, you have it in you to shout," the pontiff told the traditional Palm Sunday mass on Saint Peter's Square, which this year coincides with World Youth Day.

While the pope was not talking about the US protests and made no reference to them in his address, his comments came just a day after huge gun control rallies were staged all across the US.