Pope Francis condemned what he described as the “mafia” around the world that are “exploiting the pandemic” and “enriching themselves through corruption.”
The Myanmar nun who kneeled in front of police to protect anti-coup protestors has said she was surprised yet encouraged by Pope Francis mentioning her act of courage.
“Once again, and with great sorrow, I feel it is urgent to mention the dramatic situation in Myanmar, where many people, especially the young, are losing their lives to offer hope to their country,” said Pope Francis.
Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, said the "unwavering" Christian faith of the Filipino people has to be shared to everyone.
Iraq’s prime minister on Saturday declared March 6 a National Day of Tolerance and Coexistence in honor of Pope Francis’ landmark meeting with the country’s top Shiite cleric.
The Iraqi government has announced stringent COVID-19 precautions, including the closure of mosques and churches "until further notice," ahead of the visit of Pope Francis to the country.
In 2020, Pope Francis has confronted financial scandals in the Vatican and the abuse of minors and vulnerable persons by clergy, which he described as the triple abuse of power, conscience, and sex.
One of the prominent images of Pope Francis in 2020 was of him standing alone in front of St. Peter’s Basilica, on the cold, dark evening of March 27, 2020 — at the peak of the coronavirus pandemic in Italy.
Pope Francis urged United States President Joe Biden to be a bringer of peace and reconciliation to his country and to the world on his inauguration day.
Three Indian cardinals have met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to apprise him of several Christian concerns and to urge him to invite Pope Francis to India.
