TOKYO (Reuters) – Pope Francis expressed concern about future energy sources as he comforted victims of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear reactor disaster on Monday, noting a call by Japan’s Catholic bishops to abolish nuclear power outright. Around 18,000 people die... More »
TOKYO (Reuters) – Few aspects of life escape the touch of high tech in cutting-edge Japan, including an official song written to welcome Pope Francis when he visits Japan from Saturday. Written by Jun Inoue, the song, “Protect all Life – The Signs of the Times... More »
VENICE, Italy (Reuters) – Jude Law brought the follow-up to “The Young Pope” to the Venice Film Festival on Sunday, presenting a glimpse of his return in the Paolo Sorrentino-directed papal drama, which at one point sees him wearing just “a napkin”. The second... More »
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis has often warned against gossiping among friends and neighbors, but now he says it should also be avoided in those modern temples of cheap talk: beauty parlors and hair salons. The pope exhorted some 230 Italian Catholic h... More »
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – The Vatican’s Swiss Guard, the colorfully dressed mini-army that helps protect the pope, will have cooler heads now they have swapped their ancient metal helmets for ones made by 3-D printers. The new helmets, made of a thermoplastic, ... More »
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis has given the homeless a Christmas gift of a new clinic in St. Peter’s Square where they can get free medical help, the Vatican said on Saturday, announcing his latest move to help Rome’s destitute. The Rome Catholic chari... More »
CANNES, France (Reuters) – Viewers hoping Wim Wenders’ documentary about Pope Francis will be a critical portrait of the head of the Catholic Church will be disappointed. The German director makes no excuses for the fact this is a work of love for a man he res... More »
Pope Francis celebrates the marriage of crew members Paula Podest (C) and Carlos Ciufffardi (L) during the flight between Santiago and the northern city of Iquique, Chile January 18, 2018. Osservatore Romano/Handout via REUTERS ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (Reuters)... More »
LIMA (Reuters) – Pope Francis may have divine inspiration but not divine inflation: on Friday he suffered what millions of ordinary people have to deal with — a flat tire. While the pope was being driven into Lima from the airport, one of the wheels of the Fia... More »
IQUIQUE, Chile (Reuters) – Pope Francis ordered his popemobile to stop on Thursday after a mounted Chilean policewoman was thrown off her frightened horse, which had reared up as the pontiff passed by. Francis stepped from his vehicle and waited several minute... More »
Peruvian shamans perform a ritual prior to the arrival of Pope Francis to Peru, at Pescadores beach in Chorrillos, Lima, Peru, January 17, 2018. REUTERS/Guadalupe Pardo LIMA (Reuters) – Peruvian shamans said on Wednesday they expect good news from the visit of... More »
SANTIAGO (Reuters) – Vandals in Santiago attacked three churches before dawn on Friday, throwing homemade bombs that caused minor damage and leaving notes threatening Pope Francis just three days ahead of the pontiff’s visit to Chile next week, police said. Th... More »
Pope Francis landed in Yangon on Monday, the start of a delicate visit for the leader of the Roman Catholic church to majority-Buddhist Myanmar, which the United States has accused of conducting "ethnic cleansing" against its Muslim Rohingya people. More »
People wait outside the residence of Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, Archbishop of Yangon, where Pope Francis will be staying during his visit in Yangon, Myanmar November 27, 2017. REUTERS/Jorge Silva YANGON (Reuters) – Pope Francis landed in Yangon on Monday, the ... More »
Pope Francis on Wednesday chastised priests and bishops who take pictures with their cell phones during Masses, saying they should focus on God instead. More »
The earth is a fragile thing that could even destroy itself, Pope Francis told astronauts on the International Space Station on Thursday, saying they had an opportunity to see the planet "from the eyes of God". More »
The earth is a fragile thing that could even destroy itself, Pope Francis told astronauts on the International Space Station on Thursday, saying they had an opportunity to see the planet "from the eyes of God". More »
The earth is a fragile thing that could even destroy itself, Pope Francis told astronauts on the International Space Station on Thursday, saying they had an opportunity to see the planet "from the eyes of God". More »
The earth is a fragile thing that could even destroy itself, Pope Francis told astronauts on the International Space Station on Thursday, saying they had an opportunity to see the planet "from the eyes of God". More »
Pope Francis will get closer to the heavens this month when he puts in a call to the International Space Station. More »
Pope Francis leads the Wednesday General Audience in Saint Peter’s square at the Vatican, May 17, 2017. REUTERS/Max Rossi Pope Francis praised scientists working on treatments for genetic diseases on Thursday but condemned any use of human embryos in medical r... More »
A mural signed by ‘TV Boy’ and depicting Pope Francis and U.S. President Donald Trump kissing, is seen on a wall in downtown Rome, Italy May 11, 2017. REUTERS/Tony Gentile A life-size mural depicting Pope Francis with a saintly halo kissing U.S. President Dona... More »
FILE PHOTO: Pope Francis waves after delivering his ”Urbi et Orbi” (to the city and the world) message from the balcony overlooking St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican December 25, 2016. REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi/File Photo Pope Francis has said he is willing t... More »
Pope Francis leads his Wednesday general audience at the Paul VI audience hall in Vatican City February 8, 2017. REUTERS/Tony Gentile Pope Francis issued a stinging criticism of atrocities against Myanmar’s Rohingya minority on Wednesday, saying they had been ... More »
Italian composer Ennio Morricone conducts during a Jubilee concert in Paul VI hall at the Vatican November 12, 2016. REUTERS/Remo Casilli Homeless people were the guests of honor on Saturday night at a special benefit concert in the Vatican conducted by Oscar ... More »
Pope Francis gestures as he speaks to journalists on his flight back to Rome following a visit in Georgia and Azerbaijan, October 2, 2016. REUTERS/Luca Zennaro/Pool Pope Francis on Sunday advised U.S. Catholics who feel they are torn between two imperfect cand... More »
A tapestry picturing Mother Teresa hangs from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, September 1, 2016. REUTERS/Stefano Rellandini When Mother Teresa is made an official saint of the Roman Catholic Church on Sunday, one city will be partic... More »
ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE Pope Francis said on Saturday that his meeting with Bernie Sanders, contesting the Democratic candidacy for the U.S. Presidency, was not meddling in politics and that anyone who thought otherwise should “look for a psychiatrist”. Sanders... More »
VATICAN CITY Pope Francis warned on Monday that the recent influx of migrants risked overwhelming European values and traditions, but said he was confident the continent could successfully integrate the newcomers. In an annual address to diplomats at the Vatic... More »
BANGUI Pope Francis ventured into one of the world’s most dangerous neighbourhoods on Monday to beg Christians and Muslims to end a spiral of hate, vendetta and bloodshed that has killed thousands over the past three years. Under intense security, Francis pass... More »
FLORENCE, Italy Pope Francis called on Tuesday for a Catholic Church that is not cosseted, self-centered and obsessed with power and money, as he faces new challenges to his financial reforms at the Vatican. The Argentine pope, who made his comments during a d... More »
HAVANA Pope Francis met Cuba’s revolutionary leader Fidel Castro on Sunday, hours after warning Cubans to beware the dangers of ideology and the lure of selfishness as their country enters a new era of closer ties with the United States. Latin America’s first ... More »
WASHINGTON The four leaders of the U.S. Congress asked members on Thursday to refrain from one of Washington’s favorite rituals when Pope Francis visits the Capitol next week: no trying to grab a handshake as he makes his way in. On Sept. 24, Pope Francis will... More »
ROME Pope Francis slipped out of the Vatican on Thursday evening to make a surprise visit to a Rome optician’s shop to get a new pair of eyeglasses, insisting that his old frames be re-used and that he would pay for them. Francis was driven to Ottica Spiezia o... More »
LA PAZ A Bolivian avant-garde restaurant hopes this week to serve a well-known non-paying customer and receive a holy seal of approval for its new creation: a quinoa-based communion wafer. Chefs at the restaurant, Gustu, in La Paz expect Pope Francis to receiv... More »
VATICAN CITY Pope Francis will decide for himself if he chews coca leaves in order to ward off altitude sickness when he lands next week at La Paz, Bolivia, the highest international airport in the world, the Vatican said on Tuesday. A Bolivian minister said o... More »
