Pope Francis

Pope Francis 'pained' by decision to turn Hagia Sophia museum into mosque

July 12, 2020 5:35 pm

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has said the first prayers would be held in Hagia Sophia on July 24, after declaring the ancient monument was once again a mosque following a court ruling.

Pope hails priests, health workers as 'the saints next door'

April 10, 2020 10:46 am

The pope began his off-the-cuff homily by honouring the memory of priests who gave their lives in service to others, singling out those who died after tending to sick people in Italy's hospitals.

Pope prays for 'fragile' humanity needing help in COVID pandemic

March 28, 2020 9:10 am

Francis referred to the 17th-century colonnade that delineates St. Peter's Square while praying, "From this colonnade that embraces Rome and the whole world, may God's blessing come down upon you as a consoling embrace."

Amid coronavirus fears, Pope Francis celebrates Mass by himself, live-streams it

March 09, 2020 4:53 pm

The Holy See live-streamed Pope Francis' Mass, evidence of new measures the Vatican City State has taken to contain the spread of the virus in line with restrictions adopted by the Italian government.

Explained: Why Vatican has opened its archives of Holocaust-era Pope Pius XII before time

March 04, 2020 9:17 pm

The Vatican normally waits 70 years after the death of a pope before making his archives available for study. However, in this case, the records have been made public eight years prior to this deadline.

Pope Francis tests negative for coronavirus: Report

March 03, 2020 1:51 pm

Pope Francis, who had part of one lung removed because of an illness decades ago, also canceled most audiences last week.

Pope Francis expels Kerala priest convicted of raping minor

March 02, 2020 2:36 am

Vadakkuncheril had been under suspension since March 2017 after he was arrested on charges of the sexual abuse of a minor girl, who belonged to the parish where he was serving as a priest.

Pope Francis expels Kerala priest convicted of rape

March 01, 2020 1:40 pm

"Vadakkumchery has been dispensed from the exercise of priestly duties and rights. That means he has been reduced to the state of a layman", a Church official told PTI.

Pope Francis dismisses proposal to ordain married men as priests in Amazon

February 12, 2020 8:39 pm

The recommendation, put forward by Latin American bishops last year, had alarmed conservatives in the deeply polarised 1.3 billion-member Roman Catholic Church, who feared it could lead to a change in the centuries-old commitment to celibacy among priests.

Pope Francis to web companies: guard against human traffickers' bait

February 10, 2020 1:58 pm

Pope Francis said research has shown that criminal organizations use the "most modern means of communications to snare their victims with deception".

Pope Francis becomes first pontiff to visit Arabian Peninsula

February 05, 2019 1:28 pm

The Catholic leader was greeted by Abu Dhabi's powerful crown prince, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and the Emirati vice president and prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, during the presentation of delegations in the courtyard of the royal palace

Top Frames: Barack Obama at the podium, Pope Francis at the Paul VI hall

January 16, 2016 8:00 am

U.S. President Barack Obama (at podium) delivers his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in Washington, Pope Francis (C) waves as he arrives to lead the weekly audience at the Paul VI hall at the Vatican.

Donald Trump, Pope Francis, Hillary Clinton make it to Yale Book Quotations for 2015

December 27, 2015 3:11 pm

The yearly list of quotations that would be included in the Yale Book of Quotations were announced. Here's what was said.

Top Frames: Hillary Clinton campaigns in Nevada, 13 died in Karachi landslide

October 17, 2015 8:00 am

Hillary Clinton greets members of the culinary workers union local 226 as she arrives to speak at a demonstration outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, At least 13 people, including seven children, died as a landslide hit shanties erected in Karachi's Gulistan-i-Jauhar area early Tuesday Ocotber 13.

Top Frames: Muslims celebrate Eid al-Adha, Modi's US tour, Pope Francis visits US

September 27, 2015 12:59 pm

Eid al-Adha marks the end of the annual Hajj pilgrimage to the Mecca. The trip to Silicon Valley forms part of Narendra Modi’s visit to the US’ west coast – the first by an Indian prime minister in more than three decades. Pope Francis arrived Tuesday on the first visit of his life to the United States, bringing his humble manner and his “church of the poor” to a rich and powerful nation polarized over economic inequality, immigration and equal justice.

Christians celebrate Easter across the world

April 05, 2015 4:32 pm

Easter commemorates the day when according to Christian tradition Jesus was resurrected in Jerusalem.

Christmas Eve celebrations in India and Vatican

December 25, 2014 1:58 pm

A glimpse into the Christmas Eve celebrations in India, and the Vatican.

Pope Francis visits third holiest site in Islam, Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem

May 26, 2014 12:55 pm

Pope Francis toured the compound accompanied by the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem.

Australian sex abuse victims call for Papal promise to protect children

March 02, 2016 3:16 pm

Pope Francis celebrates Mass for clergy in Michoacan, Mexico

February 17, 2016 4:44 pm