Sources: Time
Amid record low birth rates and an aging population, Pope Francis urges Italians to have more children. The Italian government also expands a campaign to encourage at least 500,000 births annually by 2033. 2024-05-10
Pope Francis rejects the offer of resignation by Archbishop of Munich Reinhard Marx over what Marx described as mishandling of the "catastrophe" of sexual abuse in the Church. Francis addresses a letter to Marx where he agrees that it is a worldwide "catastrophe" but that Marx should stay on as Archbishop. Francis further stated that they cannot remain "indifferent in the face of the crime". Marx is seen as a progressive ally of Francis within the Church. 2021-06-10
Italy enters a three-day nationwide lockdown on the eve of Easter amidst a variant-fueled spike of COVID-19 cases. Non-essential shops are closed, restaurants and bars are only allowed to offer for takeout or delivery, and travel between regions and visits to the relatives are severely limited through Monday. 2021-04-3
The Vatican announces that Pope Francis has designated the Archdiocese of Quito in Ecuador as the host of the 2024 International Eucharistic Congress. 2021-03-20
Pope Francis appoints Archbishop Leo Boccardi, until now apostolic nuncio in Iran, as apostolic nuncio in Japan. 2021-03-11
Pope Francis officially renames the "Vatican Secret Archive" to the "Vatican Apostolic Archive". 2019-10-28
Bangladesh celebrates Easter as national holiday for first time in 30 years. The South Asian nation of 159 million is 89% Muslim and 10% Hindu. Pope Francis made an apostolic journey to Myanmar and Bangladesh in 2017. 2019-04-20
Pope Francis uses his Easter address to call for peace between the peoples of Israel and Palestine in response to the clashes. 2018-04-1
Pope Francis appoints Father Andrew Bellisario as Bishop of Juneau, Alaska, and Auxiliary Bishop Nelson J. Pérez as Bishop of Cleveland, Ohio. 2017-07-11