Vatican News

Pope Francis embraces Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva at the Vatican on June 21, 2023.

Pope Francis and Brazil’s President Lula embrace during visit

Jun 21, 2023

By Hannah Brockhaus

Pope Francis said the meeting took place in an atmosphere of “great sympathy and friendship,” the Vatican said. Read more

A portrait of Blaise Pascal from a miniature that dates to the 1700s.

PHOTOS: Vatican Library showcases first-edition works by Blaise Pascal

Jun 21, 2023

By Courtney Mares

On the 400th anniversary of the birth of Blaise Pascal, the Vatican Library displayed first editions of some of his... Read more

Pope Francis greets Archbishop Ettore Balestrero, whom he appointed as the Holy See’s permanent observer to the United Nations in Geneva on June 21, 2023.

Pope Francis appoints new permanent observer to the UN in Geneva

Jun 21, 2023

By Courtney Mares

Archbishop Ettore Balestrero most recently served as the apostolic nuncio to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Read more

Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich (right), relator general of Synod on Synodality, speaks to the media on June 20, 2023, at the temporary headquarters of the Holy See Press Office in Vatican City. Beside him is Cardinal Mario Grech, the secretary general for the Synod of Bishops.

Synod on Synodality leaders: Full list of delegates for October assembly still under review

Jun 20, 2023

By Hannah Brockhaus

The June 20 media briefing was held at the Holy See Press Office to present the synod’s Instrumentum Laboris, a... Read more

Galaxy M74.

Pope Francis to young astronomers: Keep love and wonder alive

Jun 20, 2023

By Kevin J. Jones

In the vastness of space, keep love and wonder alive, Pope Francis told astronomers of the Vatican Observatory Summer School. Read more

The Synod of Bishop at the Vatican, Oct. 5, 2018.

Synod on Synodality: Your questions answered

Jun 20, 2023

By Courtney Mares

The Vatican released a new document on June 20 outlining key questions for the upcoming 16th General Assembly of the... Read more

Pope Francis meets Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel on Tuesday, June 20, 2023, at the Vatican.

Pope Francis meets with president of Cuba

Jun 20, 2023

By Almudena Martínez-Bordiú

The pope on Tuesday welcomed Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel to the Vatican, where the two spoke for 40 minutes. Read more

The opening day of the 15th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in the Vatican Synod Hall on Oct. 3, 2018.

Synod on Synodality document outlines discussion questions for October assembly

“Discernment” topics include women deacons, priestly celibacy, and greater decision-making by the “People of God.” Read more

Cardinal Gianfranco Ghirlanda, SJ, takes possession of his titular church in Rome, the Church of the Gesù, on Dec. 8, 2022.

Pope Francis names Cardinal Ghirlanda to succeed Cardinal Burke as Order of Malta patron

Jun 19, 2023

By Courtney Mares

The Vatican announced June 19 that the 80-year-old Jesuit cardinal will take on the role as the “Cardinalis Patronus.” Read more

Pope Francis meets with John Kerry, U.S. President Joe Biden’s climate envoy, on June 19, 2023, in what was Kerry’s fourth official private meeting with the pope.

John Kerry meets Pope Francis at the Vatican for a fourth time

Jun 19, 2023

By Courtney Mares

Pope Francis met with U.S. President Joe Biden’s climate envoy John Kerry at the Vatican on Monday. Read more

Pope Francis delivers his Angelus address on June 18, 2023/Portrait of Blaise Pascal.

Pope Francis publishes apostolic letter on Blaise Pascal

Jun 19, 2023

By Courtney Mares

Pope Francis published an apostolic letter on Monday praising the 17th-century mathematician Blaise Pascal as “a tireless seeker of truth.” Read more

Pope Francis appeared in the window of the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace on Sunday, June 18 to make his first public speech since his release from the hospital.

Pope Francis makes first public speech since hospitalization for abdominal surgery

Jun 18, 2023

By Courtney Mares

The 86-year-old pope smiled and waved from the window of the Apostolic Palace as he gave thanks for prayers and... Read more

The family of Miguel Ángel, the child baptized by Pope Francis at Gemelli Hospital in Rome on March 31, 2023.

‘I received a miracle,’ says mother of baby baptized by Pope Francis at hospital in March

Jun 17, 2023

By Ary Waldir Ramos Díaz

The story of a Peruvian immigrant family in Italy has come to light during the convalescence of Pope Francis at... Read more

Pope Francis left Rome's Gemelli Hospital shortly before 9:00 a.m. on June 16, 2023. Before returning to the Vatican, he stopped to pray in front of the historic Marian icon of Salus Populi Romani at St. Mary Major Basilica, and made a quick visit to a group of religious sisters close to St. Peter's Square.

PHOTOS: Pope Francis returns to Vatican after surgery

Jun 16, 2023

By Hannah Brockhaus

Pope Francis was applauded by onlookers as he left Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on Friday morning. Read more

During his last full day of hospitalization on June 15, 2023, Pope Francis visits the pediatric oncology ward of Gemelli Hospital, which is next to his own hospital suite.

Pope Francis to leave hospital on Friday

Jun 15, 2023

By Hannah Brockhaus

Pope Francis will be discharged from the hospital on Friday morning, according to the Vatican. Read more

Young people from around the world held hands in St. Peter's Square during the #NotAlone human fraternity event June 10, 2023.

UN Security Council discusses Pope Francis and imam’s human fraternity proposal

Jun 15, 2023

By Courtney Mares

The secretary-general told the council June 14 to look to the human fraternity declaration signed by the pope and grand... Read more

Father Marko Rupnik, SJ, in an interview with EWTN in 2020.

Rupnik dismissed from Jesuits

Jun 15, 2023

By Hannah Brockhaus

Jesuit priest Father Marko Rupnik has been expelled from the Jesuits due to a “stubborn refusal to observe the vow... Read more

Archbishop Georg Gänswein

Vatican: Gänswein to return to home diocese in July

Jun 15, 2023

By Hannah Brockhaus, AC Wimmer

Pope Francis has asked Archbishop Georg Gänswein to return to Germany “for the time being.” Read more

In a speech during a meeting with Pope Tawadros II, the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, and other Coptic Orthodox representatives on May 11, 2023, Pope Francis announced that the Coptic Orthodox martyrs killed by ISIS in 2015 will be added to the Catholic Church’s official list of saints.

Pope Francis’ emphasis on synodality cited in joint Catholic-Orthodox statement

Jun 14, 2023

By Hannah Brockhaus

The first joint statement in seven years mentioned the pope’s hope for a synodal Church could eventually bring the Churches... Read more

This photograph taken on June 11, 2023, shows the statue of the late Pope John Paul II at the entrance to the Gemelli hospital in Rome. Pope Francis underwent an operation for an abdominal hernia on June 7, 2023, at the Rome hospital.

Vatican: Pope Francis’ doctors plan to discharge him from hospital ‘in the next few days’

Jun 14, 2023

By Courtney Mares

The 86-year-old pope is currently recovering in Rome’s Gemelli Hospital one week after he underwent a three-hour surgery for an... Read more