The Holy Door of the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major was officially opened on Wednesday, January 1, 2025, marking the beginning of the Jubilee Year.
The first millennial saint, Carlo Acutis, with 14 other blessed will be canonized, according to the College of Cardinals who formalized the approval in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace for an Ordinary Public Consistory on Monday morning.
Pope Francis held a private audience with Tharman Shanmugaratnam, President of Singapore, around two months ahead of his apostolic visit to the Southeast Asian nation.
Pope said, "We must not miss the opportunity to think and act in a new way, with mind, heart and hands .. to direct innovation toward a configuration centred on the primacy of human dignity."
The Vatican released the official logos and mottos for the Holy Father’s Apostolic Journey to Asia on September 2 to 13, 2024, which is his longest-ever journey with the motto ‘Faith - Fraternity – Compassion’.
In a press note on April 12, he said, “Pope Francis' official confirmation of the much-awaited visit to Timor-Leste fills the President of the Republic and all the people of Timor-Leste with joy.”
Pope Francis said that with the throwaway culture, there is "a less visible but extremely insidious factor that erodes the value of the disabled in the eyes of society and their own eyes."
"Without justice, the law of the prevalence of the strong over the weak is entrenched. The righteous person is upright, simple and straightforward, does not wear masks and speaks the truth," said the Holy Father.