Pope Francis has expressed a wish to visit Iraq in 2020. In discussing the turmoil in the Middle East, he condemned the hypocrisy of those who "talk peace" but foment war with arms sales and neglect to ameliorate the suffering of innocent people.

In his homily during Pentecost Mass Sunday in St. Peter's Square, Francis also decried that "the more we use social media, the less social we are becoming."

Pope Francis spoke of the importance of appreciating the Roma community’s culture and traditions and apologized for the church’s inability “to defend you in your uniqueness.”

Pope Francis praised Allied troops who took part in critical D-Day landings in France 75 years ago, while also remembering German soldiers who died fighting under Nazi orders.

The fact that they are meeting for a third time shows that Putin considers Pope Francis an influential player and moral authority on the global stage.

In a speech to some 100 judges from north, central and south America, Pope Francis emphasized the crucial role of judges in protecting the social, economic and cultural rights of people.