Pope Francis Latest News

These are the latest news about Pope Francis, the Vatican, and the Catholic Church, provided by the Vatican staff of Catholic News Agency, a service of EWTN News.

The Latest

Pope Francis greets the faithful from his wheelchair during his Feb. 28, 2024, general audience at the Vatican.

Pope Francis visits the hospital: his health issues through the years

Feb 28, 2024

By Jonah McKeown

Pope Francis has faced numerous health challenges in recent years and yet still has maintained a busy schedule of meetings,... Read more

Pope Francis meets at the Vatican with bishops from the Armenian Catholic Church o Feb. 28, 2024.

Pope Francis urges Armenian Catholic bishops to ‘take up the cry for peace’

Feb 28, 2024

By Daniel Payne

Armenia and Azerbaijan are engaged in peace talks following Azerbaijan's violent takeover of the Nagorno-Karabakh region late last year. Read more

Pope Francis greets pilgrims at his Wednesday general audience in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican on Feb. 28, 2024.

Pope Francis, weakened by ‘a bit of a cold,’ has aide read reflection before hospital visit

Feb 28, 2024

By Matthew Santucci

The pope did not walk to his chair in the Paul VI Audience Hall on Wednesday as he normally does. Read more

Pope Francis appears in a wheelchair at his general audience on Feb. 28, 2024.

Pope Francis visits hospital for diagnostic tests after Wednesday audience

Feb 28, 2024

By Courtney Mares

“Dear brothers and sisters, I still have a bit of a cold,” Pope Francis said in a soft-spoken voice on... Read more

Pope Francis delivers the Sunday Angelus from the window of his study overlooking St. Peter's Square, Jan. 28, 2024.

Pope Francis cancels Monday audiences due to persisting ‘mild flu’ symptoms

Feb 26, 2024

By Matthew Santucci

The Monday morning telegram sent out by the Vatican noted that while the pope’s “mild flu symptoms persist,” he did... Read more

Pope Francis waves to pilgrims in St. Peter's Square on Feb. 25, 2024, during his weekly Angelus reflection. The pope canceled his audiences the day before due to mild flu conditions, according to the Vatican.

Pope Francis, recovering from ‘mild flu,’ renews call for peace in Ukraine

Feb 25, 2024

By Matthew Santucci

Pope Francis appeared in good form during his Angelus address, marking the the Ukraine war’s second anniversary and reflecting on... Read more

Pope Francis delivers an address during his Wednesday general audience on Feb. 14, 2024, in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican.

Pope Francis cancels Saturday audiences due to a mild flu, Vatican says

Feb 24, 2024

By Courtney Mares

The cancellation comes after Pope Francis concluded a five-day Lenten retreat at his Vatican residence. Read more

Cardinal Protase Rugambwa at Santa Maria in Montesanto, Feb. 18

PHOTOS: Cardinal Rugambwa takes possession of Rome’s ‘Church of the Artists’

Feb 19, 2024

By Matthew Santucci

The cardinal was joined by priests from the Diocese of Rome as well as by senior prelates. Read more

Pope Francis addresses pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square during his Sunday Angelus on Feb. 18, 2024.

Pope Francis: Lent is a time to ‘encounter wild beasts and angels’

Feb 18, 2024

By Matthew Santucci

On the first Sunday of Lent, Pope Francis focused his Angelus address on the temptation of Jesus in the desert. Read more

Pope Francis at the Synod on Synodality’s closing Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on Oct. 29, 2023.

Pope Francis launches study groups to analyze Synod on Synodality’s key issues

Feb 17, 2024

By Courtney Mares

The Vatican announced Saturday that Pope Francis has launched synodal study groups to analyze key issues ahead of October’s Synod... Read more

Mexican presidential candidates Xóchitl Gálvez and Claudia Sheinbaum met separately with Pope Francis.

Mexican presidential candidates meet with Pope Francis

Feb 16, 2024

By Diego López Colín

2024 Mexican presidential candidates Xóchitl Gálvez Ruiz and Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo met separately with Pope Francis this week. Read more

The cross of the German “Synodal Way.”

German Catholics ask bishops to reconsider Synodal Way plans

Feb 15, 2024

By AC Wimmer

Ahead of a high-stakes gathering of the German bishops next Monday, a lay group warned the prelates of moving “further... Read more

Pope Francis greets an elderly couple at his general audience on Jan. 11, 2023.

World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly highlights ‘loneliness,’ ‘throwaway culture’

Feb 15, 2024

By Matthew Santucci

The theme for the fourth World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, which will be celebrated on July 28, has... Read more

Pope Francis meets with Argentina President Javier Milei in a private audience on Feb. 12, 2024, at the Vatican.

Analysis: Milei, Pope Francis embody contrasting economic viewpoints

Feb 14, 2024

By Matthew Santucci

While both Javier Milei and Pope Francis hail from Argentina — both were born in Buenos Aires — they hold ... Read more

Pope Francis presides over Ash Wednesday Mass at the Basilica of Santa Sabina in Rome on Feb. 14, 2024.

Pope Francis on Ash Wednesday: ‘Let us return to God with all our heart’

Feb 14, 2024

By Courtney Mares

The Lord is inviting us to “remove the masks we so often wear” and to see ourselves as we truly... Read more

Pope Francis delivers an address during his Wednesday general audience on Feb. 14, 2024, in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican.

Pope Francis: Sloth is a ‘very dangerous temptation’ akin to apathy

Feb 14, 2024

By Matthew Santucci

During his Feb. 14 Wednesday general audience, Pope Francis reflected on the human dimension of the vice of acedia, more... Read more

The facade of St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice, Italy.

Pope Francis to visit prestigious Venice Biennale art exhibition

Feb 14, 2024

By Courtney Mares

The Holy Father will be the first pope to visit the major art event when he travels to the “city... Read more

Pope Francis meets with members of the Pontifical Academy for Life on Feb. 12, 2024, at the Vatican.

Pope Francis: Technological development must promote the human being

Feb 13, 2024

By Matthew Santucci

The pope’s comments come as members of the Pontifical Academy for Life are meeting in Rome from Feb. 12–14 for... Read more

Portland Bishop-elect James Ruggieri.

Pope Francis appoints Father James Ruggieri as bishop of Portland, Maine

Feb 13, 2024

By Courtney Mares

The Vatican announced on Feb. 13 that the 56-year-old priest from Providence, Rhode Island, will be ordained as the bishop... Read more

Nobel prize for medicine laureate Katalin Kariko speaks during the annual Nobel Symposium hosted by the Swedish Embassy at the House of Sweden in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 14, 2023.

Pope names biochemist who contributed to COVID vaccine to Pontifical Academy for Life

Feb 12, 2024

By Tyler Arnold

Katalin Karikó helped develop the mRNA technology used to create the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. Read more