The Mexican government has formally asked Pope Francis for the temporary return of several ancient indigenous manuscripts held in the Vatican library ahead of next year's 500-year anniversary of the Spanish conquest of Mexico.
Pope Francis told European anti-money laundering experts that the Vatican was committed to “clean finance,” as he denounced financial speculation amid a spiraling corruption investigation in the heart of the Holy See.
Pope Francis on Sunday joined an international chorus of condemnation of Turkey's decision to convert Istanbul's iconic Hagia Sophia landmark back into a mosque.
The Vatican urged Catholics on Thursday to disinvest from the armaments and fossil fuel industries and to closely monitor companies in sectors such as mining to check if they are damaging the environment.
People attending Masses in St. Peter's and other papal basilicas in Rome will have their temperature checked as part of measures to contain the spread of coronavirus, the Vatican said on Thursday.
Pope Francis praised the work of nurses around the world on Tuesday, saying the coronavirus crisis had shown how vital their service is, as he appealed to governments to invest more in healthcare.
Pope Francis prayed for tens of thousands of COVID-19 victims in an unprecedented live-stream Easter Sunday message delivered from a hauntingly empty Vatican to a world under lockdown.
The Vatican on Friday reported its first coronavirus case and closed some offices to protect hundreds of the micro-state's priests and residents as the virus rages across surrounding Italy. The confirmed case prompted a sympathetic message from the Pope and all but emptied Saint Peter's Square.
Former Brazilian President Lula da Silva met on Thursday with Pope Francis at the Vatican, received a papal blessing and said the two discussed prospects for a “more just and fraternal world.”
Pope Francis will receive former Brazilian president Lula de Silva next February 13, according to reports advanced by the country's media and later confirmed by Lula in his twitter account.