Sources: Vatican Radio
Pope Francis condemns the Ukrainian government's ban of the Moscow-linked Ukrainian Orthodox Church and other Russia-linked religious groups as infringing on Ukrainian civilians' civil right to religious freedom. 2024-08-25
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
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
Since convening on 6 October, the synod of Catholic bishops from Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Venezuela, and Suriname gather with Pope Francis in Rome. According to the bishops, "a deep personal, social and structural conversion" is needed in response to the "unprecedented" environmental and social crisis in the Amazon. 2019-10-27
Pope Francis speaks words of solidarity to the Christian community of Sri Lanka, lamenting that the attacks have wrought grief and sorrow. 2019-04-21
Pope Francis, head of state of the Vatican City and leader of the Roman Catholic Church, threatens to order the abdication of Andorran co-monarch Joan Enric Vives Sicília, Archbishop-Bishop of Urgell, if the country decriminalises or legalises abortion. 2018-11-5
While voters in Central African Republic cast their ballots in a constitutional referendum aimed at ending years of sectarian strife, clashes erupt in the capital Bangui's PK5 Muslim neighborhood, killing at least two and injuring over 20. PK5 residents, visited by Pope Francis two weeks ago, marched to the U.N. headquarters in the country to complain they were unable to cast their ballots. The proposed constitution would limit a president to two terms, add an upper house to go along with the National Assembly, and fight institutional corruption. 2015-12-13
Pope Francis announces canon law reforms making it easier for people to obtain declarations of nullity (marriage annulments) 2015-09-8
Pope Francis blesses thousands of Harley Davidson motorcycle enthusiasts on the company's 110th anniversary. 2013-06-16
Mary MacKillop is to become Australia's first saint, after being approved by the Holy See for canonization. 2010-02-19