Sources: Vatican Radio
Pope Francis defends the dialogue with China via the appointment of new Catholic bishops. Francis says that uneasy dialogue is better than no dialogue at all and compared the talks with China to those with Eastern European countries during the Cold War. The Vatican and China have had strained relations since the communist party took power in 1949. 2021-09-1
Today Pope Francis livestreames the Urbi et Orbi blessing for the second time in just a month. Usually given on Christmas and Easter, this year the pope also gave the blessing on March 27, during a special prayer service for the end of the coronavirus. 2020-04-12
Pope Francis changes Catholic Church teaching to fully reject the death penalty, saying that it would work to abolish the death penalty worldwide. 2018-08-2
Pope Francis arrives in Colombia for a five-day visit. In early 2016, Francis promised he would visit the South American country once a civil war peace agreement was in place. 2017-09-6
Pope Francis meets with 400 children from towns hit by earthquakes in central Italy on August 24, 2016. A few children offer brief testimony about their experiences during the earthquake, which hit parts of central Italy and resulted in nearly 300 deaths. 2017-06-3
Pope Francis meets with the Grand Imam of al-Azhar Ahmed el-Tayeb in the Vatican. 2016-05-23
Amid impeachment proceedings in Brazil against President Dilma Rousseff Pope Francis appeals for prayer and dialogue. 2016-05-12
Pope Francis presides at the closing Mass of World Youth Day 2013 at Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana Beach for a crowd estimated at 3-million. 2013-07-28
Pope Francis begins a week-long official visit to Brazil, his first foreign trip since assuming the pontificate. 2013-07-22
The Vatican denies claims that Pope Francis failed to speak out against human rights abuses during military dictatorship in Argentina. 2013-03-15