Vatican News

Pope Francis at the first Mass of the new year, urged the faithful to entrust 2024 to the Mother of God on Jan. 1, 2024.

Pope Francis: Entrust 2024 to the Mother of God 

Jan 1, 2024

By Jonathan Liedl

The pope made his appeal during Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica on Jan. 1 for the solemnity of Mary, Mother... Read more

Pope Francis smiles at pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square on Jan. 1, 2024, for his first Angelus of the new year.

Pope Francis reflects on Mary’s motherhood, prays for Nicaragua during New Year’s Angelus

Jan 1, 2024

By Matthew Santucci

Just days after Christmas, Nicaragua’s Sandinista regime abducted four priests, whose whereabouts are still unknown. Read more

Pope Francis invoke the Virgin Mary as the Queen of Peace and Mother of Mercy at a prayer vigil for peace in St. Peter's Basilica, Friday, Oct. 27.

Pope Francis asks Mary’s intercession in World Day of Peace video

Jan 1, 2024

By Jonathan Liedl

Pope Francis implores the Blessed Virgin Mary to intercede for an end to human conflicts in a new video released... Read more

Pope Francis presides at the annual celebration of “first vespers,” or evening prayer, for the vigil of the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, on Dec. 31, 2023.

Pope Francis: Faith allows Christians to live transition into the new year ‘differently’

Dec 31, 2023

By Jonathan Liedl

Pope Francis rang in the new year and gave thanks for 2023 at a special New Year’s Eve Vatican liturgy. Read more

Pope Francis waves during his Sunday Angelus on Dec. 31, 2023.

Pope Francis says Benedict XVI ‘blesses us and accompanies us’ from heaven

Dec 31, 2023

By Jonathan Liedl

In his final Angelus address of 2023, Pope Francis paid tribute to Pope Benedict XVI on the one-year anniversary of... Read more

Pope Benedict XVI on April 21, 2007, in Vigevano, Italy.

4 kernels of wisdom from Pope Benedict XVI’s last message to the world

Dec 31, 2023

By Isabel Barry

On the first anniversary of the former pope's death, we look at his final work, “What Is Christianity? The Last... Read more

Pope Francis waves at the crowd of 1.5 million people who attended the closing Mass of World Youth Day 2023 in Lisbon, Portugal on Aug. 6, 2023.

What countries did Pope Francis visit in 2023 and what did he say?

Dec 30, 2023

By Peter Pinedo

Despite advanced age and health challenges, the pope visited six countries on three continents in 2023. Read more

Pope Benedict XVI on May 11, 2010.

EWTN to air conference on Pope Benedict XVI one year after his death

Dec 29, 2023

By Matthew Santucci

A conference titled “Remembering Benedict XVI: Life, Teaching, Legacy” will be held in Rome on Dec. 30–31 and will air... Read more

A prayer meeting organized by the Taizé community.

Pope Francis urges young adults at Taizé event to ‘dare to build a different world’

Dec 29, 2023

By Joe Bukuras

The European Meeting is an annual ecumenical Christian event that hosts several thousand young adults from across the world to... Read more

Pope Francis meets with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Vatican on May 13, 2023, their first meeting since the start of the full-scale war with Russia.

Pope Francis speaks with Zelenskyy about peace efforts in Ukraine

Dec 29, 2023

By Tyler Arnold

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the pontiff expressed “his wishes of peace — just peace for all of us” during... Read more

Pope Francis meets with Cardinal Raymond Burke on Dec. 29, 2023, at the Vatican.

Pope Francis meets with Cardinal Burke amid salary, apartment controversy

Dec 29, 2023

By Daniel Payne

In a press release, the Holy See Press Office briefly mentioned that the pope had met with Cardinal Raymond Burke... Read more

“Christ Carrying the Cross” by Titian (1490–1576).

Vatican announces art contest for Stations of the Cross to be displayed in St. Peter’s Basilica

Dec 29, 2023

By Courtney Mares

The Vatican has announced an art competition in which your paintings can be displayed inside of St. Peter’s Basilica. Read more

Pope Benedict XVI.

Vatican to publish private homilies of Pope Benedict XVI

Dec 27, 2023

By Daniel Payne

The Vatican Publishing House said this month that it intends to release a book of about 130 homilies given by... Read more

Pope Francis delivers his annual “urbi et orbi” address on Christmas from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica on Dec. 25, 2023.

Pope Francis on Christmas: Saying ‘yes’ to the Prince of Peace means saying ‘no’ to war 

Dec 25, 2023

By Jonathan Liedl

In his annual “urbi et orbi” address, Pope Francis called for an end to war in the Holy Land and... Read more

Christmas Mass in St. Peter's Basilica on the night of Dec. 24, 2023.

Full text: Pope Francis’ homily for Christmas 2023

Dec 24, 2023

By Pope Francis

“A census of the whole earth” (cf. Lk 2:1). This was the context in which Jesus was born, and the... Read more

Pope Francis takes a figure of the Christ child in his arms at the end of the Vatican's Mass for the Nativity of the Lord on Dec. 24, 2023.

Pope Francis’ Christmas Mass: Jesus was born to save the world

Dec 24, 2023

By Courtney Mares

Pope Francis shared a message in his Christmas homily for anyone who may be feeling sad or discouraged. Read more

Pope Francis gives his Angelus address on Dec. 24, 2023.

Pope Francis: Do not confuse Christmas with consumerism

Dec 24, 2023

By Courtney Mares

The pope asked people to think of which lonely or needy people could be comforted by their friendship during the... Read more

Papal almoner Cardinal Konrad Krajewski.

Pope Francis sends papal almoner to Holy Land for Christmas as a sign of solidarity

Dec 22, 2023

By Courtney Mares

Cardinal Konrad Krajewski will spend Christmas in Jerusalem, where he will join the local Christian community in praying for peace. Read more

Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller, Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo, and Bishop Robert Barron.

More bishops voice criticism — and support — for Vatican document on blessing same-sex couples

Dec 21, 2023

By Peter Pinedo

Some bishops, including Cardinal Gerhard Müller and several bishops in Africa, have firmly denounced the Vatican’s document. Read more

Pope Francis gives his annual Christmas address to the cardinals who work in Vatican offices on Dec. 21, 2023, in the gilded Hall of Benediction at the Vatican.

Pope Francis to Roman Curia: ‘Rigid ideological positions’ prevent us from moving forward

Dec 21, 2023

By Courtney Mares

“Let us remain vigilant against rigid ideological positions that often ... separate us from reality and prevent us from moving... Read more