Vatican City
-
Cardinals, faithful flock to Rome’s center to pray at pope’s tomb
By CAROL GLATZ, Catholic News Service
Published April 27, 2025Members of the College of Cardinals visited the tomb of Pope Francis, who wanted to be buried in a Marian basilica three and a half miles from the Vatican. More than 30,000 of the faithful also visited the tomb at St. Mary Major within the first six hours.
-
Poor and powerful pray for eternal repose of a pope ‘with an open heart’
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published April 26, 2025Pope Francis was “a pope among the people, with an open heart toward everyone,” said Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals, as he presided over the funeral of the pope.
-
Prayer, pilgrims accompany pope’s body to basilica
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published April 23, 2025To the chanting of “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live,” the mortal remains of Pope Francis were carried into St. Peter’s Basilica.
-
Pope’s funeral set for April 26, public viewing April 23-25
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published April 22, 2025The funeral Mass of Pope Francis will be celebrated April 26 in St. Peter’s Square, the Vatican announced. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals, will preside over the liturgy.
-
With pastor’s touch, Pope Francis preached mercy, embraced ‘peripheries’
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published April 21, 2025Pope Francis, who died April 21 at age 88, gave new energy to millions of Catholics–and caused concern for some–as he transformed the image of the papacy into a pastoral ministry based on personal encounters and strong convictions about mission, poverty, immigration and dialogue.
-
Pope Francis’ last Easter message: Jesus’ resurrection makes Christians pilgrims of hope
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published April 21, 2025The hope Christians have is not a sign of avoiding reality but of trusting in God’s power to defeat sin and death as the resurrection of Jesus shows, Pope Francis wrote in his final Easter message. The pope died a few hours later.
-
US cardinal announces pope’s death to the world
By BY CAROL GLATZ, Catholic News Service
Published April 21, 2025U.S. Cardinal Kevin J. Farrell, the “camerlengo” or chamberlain of the Holy Roman Church, announced to the world that Pope Francis had died April 21 at the age of 88.
-
On Palm Sunday, recovering pope says to carry the cross with compassion
By JUSTIN MCLELLAN, Catholic News Service
Published April 13, 2025Carrying the cross means stepping into the pain of others and walking beside them, Pope Francis wrote at the start of Holy Week. The pope made a surprise appearance at the end of the Palm Sunday Mass at the Vatican.
-
Ailing pope surprises pilgrims during Jubilee of the sick
By JUSTIN MCLELLAN, Catholic News Service
Published April 6, 2025With thousands of infirmed people and caregivers gathered for Mass April 6 in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis, seated in a wheelchair, made an unexpected appearance to greet the crowd.
-
Vatican releases first photo of Pope Francis since his hospitalization
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published March 16, 2025For the first time since Pope Francis was hospitalized in mid-February, the Vatican press office released a photograph of him March 16; the image shows him concelebrating Mass that morning in the chapel of his suite of rooms at Rome’s Gemelli hospital.
-
Pope, from hospital, writes about ‘blessing’ hidden in frailty
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published March 3, 2025Pope Francis’ condition remained “stable” March 2, and he “did not require non-invasive mechanical ventilation, but only high-flow oxygen therapy,” the Vatican said in its evening medical bulletin.
-
Update: Pope’s condition worsened after isolated bronchospasm, on stronger ventilation
By CAROL GLATZ, Catholic News Service
Published February 28, 2025After experiencing progressive improvement the past few days, Pope Francis experienced “an isolated crisis of bronchospasm,” Feb. 28. The episode worsened his condition and he required stronger ventilation.
-
Faithful unite in St. Peter’s Square praying for pope’s health
By CAROL GLATZ, Catholic News Service
Published February 24, 2025A light drizzle finally let up as hundreds of faithful headed to St. Peter’s Square to pray the rosary for Pope Francis on the 11th day of his hospitalization for double pneumonia.
-
Pope has respiratory ‘crisis,’ doctors say ‘prognosis reserved’
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published February 22, 2025Pope Francis experienced “an asthmatic respiratory crisis of prolonged magnitude, which also required the use of oxygen at high flows” Feb. 22, said the daily medical bulletin released by the Vatican.
-
Pope diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published February 18, 2025After undergoing a CT scan Feb. 18, Pope Francis was diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia, the Vatican said. The 88-year-old pope was hospitalized Feb. 14 after more than a week of suffering from bronchitis and difficulty breathing.
-
Pope to U.S.: Migration policies built on force, not truth, ‘will end badly’
By CAROL GLATZ, Catholic News Service
Published February 11, 2025Pope Francis has urged U.S. Catholics and people of goodwill to not give in to “narratives” that discriminate against and cause unnecessary suffering to migrants and refugees. The pope made his comments in a letter to the U.S. Bishops released Feb. 11.
-
Pope clears way for beatification of Georgia martyrs
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published January 29, 2025Pope Francis has formally recognized that five Franciscan missionaries ministering in what is now the state of Georgia were killed for their faith.
-
Pope looks back on his life, urges people to look to future with hope
Published January 15, 2025
In “Hope: The Autobiography,” the pope reflects on his childhood, vocation, his age and shares an encouraging message of a hope that cannot be beaten. The autobiography was released Jan. 14.
-
On New Year’s, pope calls for real commitment to respect human life
By CAROL GLATZ, Catholic News Service
Published January 1, 2025Marking the feast of Mary, Mother of God, and the start of 2025, Pope Francis renewed his appeal for a “firm commitment” to respect all human life worldwide.
-
Jesus is the path and destination for Jubilee pilgrims, pope says
By JUSTIN McLELLAN, OSV News
Published December 19, 2024Pope Francis called on Catholics to focus their Holy Year 2025 pilgrimages on Jesus Christ, who is both the path and destination for Christian hope.
- Advertisement
