Pope Francis called on Catholics to become “pilgrims of hope” in a BBC podcast, emphasizing that “hope and kindness touch the very heart of the Gospel.”

Pope Francis has opened the great Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica. The ceremony kicks off the 2025 Holy Year.

Amid security worries, millions of pilgrims are expected to descend on Rome for a Jubilee Year of major Catholic celebrations throughout 2025. Here are the highlights.

As the Pope left the Rebibbia prison, he stopped to greet the 300 inmates and staff who had waited outside of the crowded chapel on the cold December morning.

Christmas message and blessing from the Vatican on Wednesday, calling for peace around the globe and an end to ongoing conflicts.The leader of the Roman Catholic Church mentioned the war between Russia and Ukraine directly and called for "the boldness needed to open the door to negotiation" during the address that serves as a summary of the woes facing the world this year.

Archbishop Shevchuk has long advocated for a papal visit to Ukraine. Media reports about Pope Francis potentially visiting Ukraine have raised hopes the Holy Father could accept an invitation to visit the war-torn country in 2025.

In his Angelus address on Dec. 26, Pope Francis reflected on Stephen’s last words as he was being stoned to death: “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”

Marking the Holy Year of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis opened a Holy Door at a prison in Rome on Thursday, offering a message of hope and forgiveness to inmates. "Do not lose hope, that is the message I want to give you,

Pilgrims from around the world have been passing through the open Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica this week.

Pope Francis inaugurated his Holy Year at Rome’s main prison on Thursday, bringing a message of hope to inmates and involving them in the Catholic Church’s once every quarter-century celebration that is expected to bring about 32 million pilgrims to Rome.

I mean stories which were important but which didn’t generate a lot of buzz, either in the mainstream media or the specialized Catholic press. It’s not that they weren’t covered, simply that the volume wasn’t proportionate to the merits of the story.