English

More about this topic

Europe News

Pope meets homeless and undocumented in Brussels

As part of his trip to Belgium, Pope Francis made a surprise visit to Saint Gilles where he met with homeless and undocumented people.

Europe News

Pope Francis criticised by students on visit to Catholic university in

The students questioned why the Catholic church has so few women in top positions and why their intellectual contribution had often been disregarded.

Belgium

Pope Francis condemns Catholic Church's 'shameful' abuse in Belgium

Earlier on Friday, Belgium's prime minister blasted the pontiff for the Catholic Church's horrific legacy, demanding "concrete steps" to come clean with the past and put victims' interests ahead of those of the institution.

Belgium

Pope makes hope-inspired trip to 'heart of Europe' amid abuse scandal

While in Belgium, Pope Francis will have to face a backlash against local church authorities amid child abuse scandals. The Vatican hopes the visit will also help the EU "rediscover its roots".

ADVERTISEMENT

Europe News

Pope Francis begins tour through heart of Europe to promote peace

With church attendance in decline and child abuse scandals still live, the pontiff has arrived in Luxembourg to try and raise morale.

Belgium

Pope to face appalling Catholic abuse legacy on Belgium trip

Revelations of Belgium's horrific abuse scandal have dribbled out in bits since 2010, when the country's longest-serving bishop was allowed to resign without punishment, after admitting he had sexually abused his nephew.

Europe News

Pope Francis expresses concern over escalation in Lebanon

Pope Francis expressed his closeness to the Lebanese people in an address on Wednesday, adding that he hopes the international community will make “every effort” to stop the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East.

Europe News

Pope wraps up longest trip of his tenure as head of Catholic Church

Pope Francis departed Singapore on Friday - wrapping up his tour through Southeast Asia and Oceania, where he visited four countries and preached a message of religious tolerance and inclusivity.

Europe News

Pope asks for better conditions of migrant workers in Singapore

"I would like to highlight the risk entailed in focusing solely on pragmatism or placing merit above all things, namely the unintended consequence of justifying the exclusion of those on the margins from benefiting from progress," the Pope said.

Europe News

Pope lands in Singapore after record-breaking Mass in Timor-Leste

During his trip through Southeast Asia and Oceania, the pontiff also visited Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.

Timor-Leste

Pope calls for protection of young people during visit to Timor-Leste

It is an indirect acknowledgment of the abuse scandal involving Nobel Peace Prize-winning independence hero, Bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo.

Timor-Leste

Pope Francis lands in Timor-Leste for his Asia trip's third leg

About 98% of its 1.3 million people are Catholic, making it the most Catholic country outside the Vatican.

Indonesia

Pope Francis and Indonesia's grand imam sign pledge calling for peace

The leader of the Catholic Church and Jakarta's Grand Imam Nusaruddin Umar vowed to fight religiously inspired violence and protect the environment, issuing a joint call for interfaith friendship and common cause.

No Comment

Pope opens Asia tour with stop in Indonesia

The journey, in which the pope will visit Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore is the longest of his pontificate.

Indonesia

Pope starts Asia tour in Indonesia to promote interfaith dialogue

Pope Francis is the third leader of the Catholic Church to visit the country, home to Asia's third-largest congregation.

Europe News

Pope goes on Asia tour, the longest and farthest of his ponificate

Francis will clock 32,814 kilometres by air during his 2-13 September visit to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and Singapore, far surpassing any of his previous 44 foreign trips.

Green News

Pope interrupted by activists calling for an end to bullfighting

The animal rights organisation says 10,000s of bulls are killed annually in bullfighting dedicated to Catholic saints.

Culture news

Pope Francis: Literature is essential to counter 'violent fake news'

In a letter recently translated in eight languages, Pope Francis argues that literature should not be written off as "a minor art" due to its capacity to stimulate empathy and counter “the obsession with screens and with toxic, superficial and violent fake news.”

Europe News

'Democracy is not in good health,' says Pope Francis

The leader of the Catholic Church addressed thousands in Trieste and renewed his commitment to pray and work for peace in Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Sudan and Myanmar.

Green News

Pope: Vatican City will run solely on solar power thanks to new plant

A letter entitled ‘Brother Sun’ laid out the pontiff’s plans.