The Vatican said that Pope Francis's comments on the death of Darya Dugina were meant to defend life, not affirm the Russian side of the war in Ukraine.

Last week, Twitter users across the world made a startling discovery: A viral photo of the Vatican’s Paul VI audience hall revealed a colossal, looming sculpture that frames the pope during his addresses.

Pope Francis opened a two-day meeting of almost 200 cardinals this morning, Aug. 29, to discuss “Predicate Evangelium,” the constitution for the reform of the Roman Curia.

Thousands have been affected by ongoing floods in Pakistan, including the destruction of the diocese of Bishop Samson Shukardin.

Celestine V resigned from the papacy in 1294, the last pope to do so voluntarily before Benedict XVI. Francis, in his homily, praised him for this gesture of humility.

Pope Francis has brought the total number of electors to 132, from 69 countries.

The pope will create 20 new cardinals on Aug. 27. Sixteen of them are eligible to vote in a papal conclave, and 11 are from or based in countries outside Europe and North America.

Although Pope Francis repeatedly has spoken out on behalf of the Ukrainian people, this was not the first time Ukrainian officials have been upset with Pope Francis for what they see as equating the actions of the aggressor with the victim.

For critics of the first Latin American pope, Francis’ recent expression of concern about the crackdown on Catholics in Nicaragua was too little too late.

The pope told the patriarch that “we are not clerics of the state, we cannot use the language of politics, but of Jesus.”