Pope Francis named six superiors of women's religious orders, a consecrated laywoman and the superior of the De La Salle Christian Brothers to be full members of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.

Pope Francis welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin to the Vatican July 4. Russia plays a major role in conflicts in Ukraine and Syria.

Patriarch Bartholomew said, "Pope Francis made this grand, fraternal and historic gesture" of giving the Orthodox fragments of the relics of St. Peter.

The Mass July 8 will mark the sixth anniversary of the pope's visit to the southern Italian island of Lampedusa.

President Trump traveled met Kim Jong-Un at the demilitarized zone along the 38th parallel that separates North and South Korea.

The synod is set to address the sexual abuse crisis as well as the lack of vocations and the non-acceptance of Catholic teaching on sexuality.