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Pope names 20 cardinals, many from developing world
Pope Francis on Sunday named 20 new cardinals, a majority of them from Africa, Asia and Latin America, increasingly key areas.
05 January 2015
Under fire from bishops, Pope shirts pulled from Philippine stores
The Philippines's largest broadcaster pulled souvenir T-shirts for an upcoming papal visit from its stores.
29 December 2014
Pope condemns religious persecution in Christmas address
Pope Francis roundly condemned jihadist violence and the "brutal persecution" of religious minorities in a Christmas message.
26 December 2014
Pope calls for greater empathy in Christmas Eve mass
Pope Francis urged people to have greater empathy towards family and friends with problems in his Christmas Eve mass.
25 December 2014
Pope leads global praise for 'historic' US-Cuba rapprochement
Pope Francis led a chorus of global plaudits for breakthrough in US-Cuban relations, hailed as "historic" in Europe and South America.
18 December 2014
Pope calls on Muslim leaders to condemn Islamist terror
Pope Francis urged Muslim leaders worldwide to "clearly" condemn terrorism carried out in the name of Islam.
01 December 2014
On Turkey trip, Pope to reach out to Islamic world
Pope Francis heads to Turkey with a brief to use his populist touch to rebuild bridges with the Islamic world that were damaged by his predecessor Benedict XVI.
27 November 2014
Pope heads to Strasbourg to reinvigorate 'tired' Europe
Pope Francis heads to Strasbourg for a lightning visit to the European Parliament, where he hopes to help reinvigorate a "tired" Europe.
25 November 2014
Pope urges G20 leaders not to forget the poor
Pope Francis has called on G20 leaders not to forget the poor, saying to do so would be "regrettable".
12 November 2014
Pope faces key test with vote on divorcees, gays
Pope Francis was set to sort his allies from his enemies with a Vatican vote on a document drafted opening the Catholic Church's doors to remarried divorcees and gays.
18 October 2014
Pope accepts 'unfaithful' British bishop's resignation
Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of a British bishop who stood down after admitting to an affair with a woman.
07 October 2014
Pope braced for marriage clash as world's bishops meet
Nice-guy Pope Francis looks set to have his mettle tested by his first mutiny in the ranks this weekend at a Catholic meeting.
03 October 2014
Mother Teresa 'would have scared me' says pope
Pope Francis joked during a visit to Albania that Mother Teresa would have struck fear into him if she had been his mother superior.
23 September 2014
Pope says religion can't justify violence
Pope Francis warned during a visit to Albania that religion can never be used to justify violence.
22 September 2014
Security upped at Vatican over attack fears: report
Security has been tightened in Saint Peter's Square after intelligence services intercepted a possible plan to attack the Vatican.
20 September 2014
Pope 'worried' by Argentine politics: Vatican official
Pope Francis is concerned about the political situation in his native Argentina.
17 September 2014
Pope says war no way to address injustice
War is not the way to address injustice, Pope Francis said.
08 September 2014
Pope makes plea for Koreas to unite as 'one people'
Pope Francis urged the divided Koreas to reject suspicion and confrontation and unite as "one family, one people".
18 August 2014
'What would we die for?' Pope asks at mass for Korean martyrs
Pope Francis beatified 124 early Korean martyrs at a mass in Seoul and challenged the crowd to ask what values they might be willing to die for.
16 August 2014
Pope to speak to N. Korea's 'church of silence'
Pope Francis will offer prayers for Korean reconciliation in Seoul next week
13 August 2014