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Europe News

Will Pope Francis stay silent over child abuse scandal in Timor-Leste?

In 2002, the head of Timor-Leste's church abruptly resigned and moved to Mozambique amidst claims he sexually abused young boys over a 20-year period.

Papua New Guinea

Pope visits Catholics in remote coastal town in Papua New Guinea

Pope Francis is the second pope to visit Papua New Guinea, on the second leg of his four-nation trip through Southeast Asia and Oceania.

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.

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.”

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Culture news

Have archaeologists uncovered a pre-Vatican papal palace?

Experts say the architectural structure – where popes lived before the Vatican became the official residence – could have been built between the 9th-13th century AD.

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.

Culture news

Pope Francis meets more than 100 comedians at the Vatican

“In the midst of so much gloomy news, immersed as we are in many social and even personal emergencies, you have the power to spread peace and smiles,” Francis told the comedians.

Europe News

Pope Francis encourages forgiveness and love in visit to Verona

The pope also spoke of the ''genius of Shakespeare'' the playwright who set his famous Romeo and Juliet play in Verona.

Europe News

Pope Francis says he’s thinking about people of Haiti

The pontiff also voiced concerns about the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza and expressed concerns about the welfare of Rohingya, thousands of whom have fled a bloody military crackdown in Myanmar.

Vatican

Pope Francis calls for ceasefire in Gaza during Easter Sunday Mass

Despite health concerns, the pontiff led the service in front of tens of thousands of people who had gathered in St Peter's Square in Vatican City.

Vatican

Pope's message read by aide as he recovers from illness

Pope Francis said on Saturday he has not yet fully recovered from a recent illness, and had a Vatican official read out his message to patients of the Vatican-owned Rome children's hospital Bambino Gesù.

Vatican

Spanish bishop rebukes priests for hoping Pope 'goes to heaven soon'

Priests from Toledo were chastised for a comment made earlier this month about praying for Pope Francis "so that he can go to heaven as soon as possible."

The Cube

Altered video shows Pope calling Catholic Church 'mother of harlots'

A decade-old video has recently resurfaced claiming to show the Pope revealing his secret agenda to control the world and chastising Christians for watching The Hobbit and Game of Thrones. The Cube takes a closer look.

Art

Vatican plans €700,000 restoration of St Peter's Basilica baldachin

Vatican officials have announced a €700,000 restoration of St. Peter's Basilica's baldachin. The project aims to complete the first extensive work on Bernini's masterpiece in 250 years before Pope Francis' 2025 Jubilee.

Haiti

Pope Francis pleads for the release of the six nuns kidnapped in Haiti

Speaking on Sunday from the window of the Apostolic Palace, he prayed for the release of the group of people, including six nuns, who were kidnapped in Haiti last week.

Vatican

Vatican synod aims for inclusiveness but critics fear a schism

Taboo subjects such as the ordination of women and the role of LGBTQ congregants will be discussed

Vatican

Pope Francis suggests blessings for gay unions are possible

The Vatican published a letter in response to the cardinals just ahead of a major three-week synod at which the place of LGBTQ+ Catholics in the church will be on the agenda.

Vatican

New claims that WW2 Pope Pius XII knew about Nazi crimes

A letter has been published in Italian media suggesting that the late Pope Pius XII may have had detailed information from a German Jesuit about Nazi crimes in the Second World War.

Mongolia

Pope starts Mongolia visit by praising the country's religious freedom

Pope Francis on Saturday praised Mongolia’s tradition of religious freedom dating to the times of its founder, Genghis Khan, as he opened the first-ever papal visit to the Asian nation with a plea for peace and an end to the “insidious threat of corruption”.

Vatican

Pope causes fury after praising Russia's imperialist past

The Vatican stepped in to clarify the remarks after Pope Francis told young people they were the "heirs of the great Russia".