When #PopeFrancis was elected 12 years ago, his request that people pray for him was stunning. But he's asked for prayers almost every day since, so it seems normal. Here's that moment from March 13, 2023: youtu.be/5eYlRhvNVBY?... And a story: www.usccb.org/news/2025/pa...

#PopeFrancis still in critical condition, but showed some improvement today, doctors say. He is using the nasal cannula for oxygen, but with a lower flow. He worked today & this evening phoned the parish in Gaza to thank them for a video greeting they'd sent. (📸 at Gemelli hospital by Pablo Esparza)

Even with #PopeFrancis in the hospital, people continue making their Holy Year 2025 pilgrimage to the Vatican.

#PopeFrancis' doctors: 'Is the pope out of danger?' No, the pope is not out of danger" because of multiple factors, including being 88 & having double pneumonia. However, "if you ask, 'Is his life in immediate danger?' The answer is still, no."

Letter from Pope Francis to the Bishops of the United States on the Human Dignity of Migrants and Refugees. «What is built on the basis of force, and not on the truth about the equal dignity of every human being, begins badly and will end badly.» vatican.va/content/france…

#PopeFrancis letter to US bishops: "I exhort all the faithful of the Catholic Church, & all men & women of good will, not to give in to narratives that discriminate against & cause unnecessary suffering to our migrant and refugee brothers and sisters."

#PopeFrancis re: @JDVance on "ordo amoris": "Christian love is not a concentric expansion of interests that little by little extend to other persons and groups." "The true ordo amoris ... is that which we discover by meditating constantly on parable of the “Good Samaritan”

On today's feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, the Catholic Church marks the World Day of the Sick. Read about the message #PopeFrancis wrote for the occasion. (📸Lola Gomez for CNS) www.usccb.org/news/2025/ho...

Scenes from the rainy welcome ceremony for the Jubilee of the Armed Services, Police and Security Personnel in Rome's Piazza del Popolo Feb. 8 by Chris Warde-Jones for Catholic News Service.

#PopeFrancis decides Vatican City State employees with three or more children will receive monthly bonus of €300 (about $309) until the child is 18 or, if continuing education, until 24. Also paid leave for new fathers, natural or adoptive, goes from 3 days to 5 days.

#PopeFrancis gets in on the act when the circus comes to the #Vatican.

#PopeFrancis, after a prayer service, goes to St. Peter's Square to see the Nativity scene and listen to the Swiss Guard band play Christmas carols. And he's distributed dozens of chocolate Santas to the children present.

The Holy Year 2025 and a long Christmas holiday mean big crowds at the Vatican

#PopeFrancis praises President Jimmy Carter's work for peace, human rights & care of the poor, and offers his condolences to those mourning the former president's passing.

Before saying arrivederci to 2024, a look back at Pope Francis' year. www.usccb.org/news/2024/po...

Pilgrims walk together toward the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica.

Before leaving Rome's Rebibbia prison after Mass, #PopeFrancis sends greetings to inmates unable to leave their cells and wishes everyone a Happy New Year, praying that 2025 will be a better year for all of them. And remember, he says, "hang on to hope" like you hang on to an anchor's rope.

#PopeFrancis at the Angelus (indoors because he has a cold): Whenever we meet a pregnant woman or a mother carrying a baby, "let us pray in our hearts and say, like Elizabeth, 'Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb!'"

#PopeFrancis is holding his traditional pre-Christmas meeting with officials of the Roman Curia and College of Cardinals.

The team at Catholic News Service Rome.

Simone Legno, creator of Luce, the Vatican mascot for Jubilee 2025, also created a Nativity scene that is among 100 on display under the colonnade around St. Peter's Square. (Here's Luce first, then the creche)

With a quick, 50-minute flight from Corsica back to Rome, #PopeFrancis briefly greeted reporters but -- for the first time on the way home from a foreign trip -- he did not hold an inflight news conference. (📷 Vatican Media)

#PopeFrancis (and several dozen journalists) is on his way to Corsica for the day.

A little story and more photos from the living Nativity scene at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome. (Cardinal Makrickas checks on the "baby Jesus.") www.usccb.org/news/2024/na...

#PopeFrancis this evening met with the people staging the living Nativity scene at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome. Lovely photo by Pablo Esparza.

In letter to his nuncio in Russia, #PopeFrancis speaks of the victims of Russia's war on Ukraine. "Their cry rises to God, invoking peace instead of war, dialogue instead of the din of weapons, solidarity instead of partisan interests, because one cannot kill in the name of God."

#PopeFrancis at his general audience: "The Christian cannot be satisfied with having hope; he or she must also radiate hope, be a sower of hope. It is the most beautiful gift that the Church can give to all of humanity, especially at times in which everything seems to be dragging down the sails."

Paying homage to Mary ... near a statue way up high. Story with beautiful photos by @lolagomez.bsky.social and Pablo Esparza. www.usccb.org/news/2024/am...

A little summary video of Pope Francis creating 21 new cardinals today. (Includes a shot of Cardinal Mykola Bychok of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Eparchy of Sts. Peter and Paul of Melbourne wearing the Byzantine koukoulion instead of a biretta) youtu.be/00SiAjMRG4k?...

#PopeFrancis has just concluded a consistory at which he created 21 new cardinals from 17 nations. He has an obvious bruise on his face from a fall yesterday.

Cardinal-tomorrow, Bishop Mykola Bychok, head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Eparchy of Sts. Peter and Paul of Melbourne, Australia, is a Redemptorist and wears an encolpion around his neck featuring an icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. ( 📸 @lolagomez.bsky.social )

Looking ahead to the Holy Year 2025, including with links to @usccbofficial.bsky.social resources for local celebrations. www.usccb.org/news/2024/pi...

Sneaking a peek at the Vatican Nativity scene with its lagoon and a fisherwoman guiding a boat with the 3 Magi — it’s the work of folks in Grado, Italy, on an island between Venice and Trieste. It will be unveiled Saturday evening.

A quick test of the lights on the Vatican Christmas tree. 🎄 The lighting ceremony and unveiling of the Nativity scene are scheduled for Saturday.

Celebrating St. Nicholas a few days early, Mercedes Benz gifts #PopeFrancis an all-electric popemobile. (📸AIGAV pool)

#PopeFrancis (to applause): A homily should have one idea, one effect and one proposal for doing something. "And please, don't go over 10 minutes."

Road work continues around the Vatican in preparation for the Holy Year.

As the cardinal & others prayed, workers broke into the wall that has sealed the Holy Door shut since the Jubilee of Mercy ended in 2016. The workers removed a metal box containing the key to the Holy Door, medals, documents and four gold-covered bricks. youtu.be/pYeTwKu9vpo?...

Much of the food you eat this holiday season comes to your table from the hard-working hands of farm workers who harvest our food. #WeFeedYou

#PopeFrancis welcomed US Secretary of State Blinken to the Vatican early this morning. Afterward, Blinken met with Cardinal Parolin and Archbishop Gallagher of the Vatican Secretariat of State. (📸Vatican Media)

#PopeFrancis at the end of a meeting with members of the International Motorcycle Federation: "Please pray for me; I need prayers. Why? Because my work is very accelerated and my bike is aged and not working well!" (📸Vatican Media)

#PopeFrancis: "It's not true, as some think, that world events have “escaped” God’s control. It is not true that history is written by oppressors and tyrants... everything is ultimately subject to the judgment of Christ, the just and merciful King"

#PopeFrancis to young people: "Do not settle for being “stars for a day” on social media or in any other context! You are called to shine in a wider sky. In heaven, the infinite love of the Father is reflected in our countless little lights," loving others, helping others.

Vatican confirms: Pope Francis will travel to Corsica Dec. 15 for a nine-hour visit. He'll speak at a conference on popular religiosity, meet churchworkers, celebrate an outdoor Mass & meet with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Since Wednesday, Vatican website has been dealing with a potential threat posed by "an abnormally high number of interactions with the .va domain. Countermeasures are still in progress, which is why it may still be difficult to access," says Holy See Press Office.

The Catholic Church in Corsica has launched a website for the visit of #PopeFrancis Dec. 15. The Vatican has not confirmed the pope will go, but the diocese expects him to participate in a conference on popular religiosity around the Mediterranean and celebrate Mass. www.lepapeencorse.corsica

The Vatican Christmas tree is going up today

After some controversy, a Christmas tree arrived in St. Peter's Square early this morning. But, apparently, they aren't going to start putting it up until tomorrow. Arrival photos from PabloEsparzaa www.ncronline.org/earthbeat/lo...

After meeting #PopeFrancis, Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska, along with the first ladies Lithuania, Serbia & Armenia, visited the Vatican-owned Bambin Gesu' pediatric hospital, which has treated 2,500 Ukrainian children since the war began. (📷 Bambin Gesu' hospital)

#PopeFrancis has approved revised and simplified rites for the death, funeral and burial of the pope. No more triple coffin (cypress, lead, oak), public viewing but in an open casket, etc (photo is 2000 edition)