Pope Leo XIV prayed Friday for political leaders to end the “fratricidal hatred” in the world, as he spent the anniversary of his election in the ancient city of Pompeii commemorating a feast day that is particularly important to him and coincided last year with the start of his pontificate.
Nicole Winfield - Associated Press
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Pope Leo prays with Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally in historic encounter, vows dialogue
The encounter between Christianity’s two most famous religious figures would have been unthinkable just a few years ago, given the divisions between their two churches over women’s ordination in general and Mullally’s appointment in particular.
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Pope Leo tells inmates ‘you are not alone’ during Equatorial Guinea prison visit at end of Africa tour
After Leo left, the drenched inmates broke into a raucous dance party in the courtyard as the rain continued to pour, shouting “Libertad! Libertad! Libertad!” (Freedom, freedom, freedom).
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Pope Leo amplifies criticism of Iran war and says ‘God does not bless any conflict’
Pope Leo XIV amplified his condemnation of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran on Friday, saying that “God does not bless any conflict” and certainly doesn’t side with those who drop bombs.
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Peter Thiel brings his Antichrist lectures to the Vatican’s doorstep, and Catholic institutions back away
One of the hottest tickets in Rome these days is for a four-lecture series on the Antichrist being given by Silicon Valley tech billionaire Peter Thiel.
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Pope’s grand tour of Italy over the next few months takes him to Lampedusa and beyond
Pope Leo XIV will visit ground zero of Europe’s migration drama, the Sicilian island of Lampedusa, in May and also minister to Italians poisoned by years of toxic dumping by the mafia.
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Vatican expands visitor experience at St. Peter’s Basilica to mark 400th anniversary
Fancy a pizza with a view? The Vatican is marking the 400th anniversary of the consecration of St. Peter’s with a host of visitor-friendly initiatives, including expanding access to its spectacular terrace and its snack bar in the shadow of Michelangelo’s great dome.
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Pope Leo, an avid athlete, extols physical and spiritual benefits of sport in Olympic message
He called for sport to be accessible, to both poor people and women especially, and for fans to refrain from turning sport into a fanatical religion. Athletes, too, he said, must refrain from narcissism and becoming obsessed with their image and success.
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Pope Leo invited to visit Peru during a Vatican garden party, then stays for lunch
In a break with usual protocol, Leo stayed for a buffet lunch that the Peruvian Embassy organized for the invited diplomats and Vatican officials in the gardens.
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Pope Leo XIV closes 2025 Holy Year with critique of consumerism and xenophobia
Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday closed out the Vatican’s 2025 Holy Year by denouncing today’s consumerist and anti-foreigner sentiment, capping a Jubilee that saw some 33 million pilgrims flock to Rome and a historic transition from one American pontiff to another.