"Synodality," which literally means "walking together," has become a key topic of Pope Francis' pontificate, but one which has raised questions and even confusion.

After mass testing uncovered more than 7,300 infections, Italy's outbreak surged to nearly equal South Korea's, which had been tapering off, and trailing China, where COVID-19 is in retreat.

Lyon Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, 69, had offered to resign when the Lyon court in March 2019 first convicted him and gave him a six-month suspended sentence for failing to report the predator priest to police.

Though 52% of Catholic voters cast ballots for Trump in the 2016 presidential election, the majority of Latino Catholics overwhelmingly voted for Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.

The Friday reflections in Lent, like in Advent, usually are led by the official "preacher of the papal household," who, for the past 40 years, has been Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa.

The affected areas were in the West Bank: Bethlehem, Beit Jala, Beit Sahour and Jericho for 14 days following seven reported cases of the coronavirus in the Bethlehem and Beit Jala area.