Together with a religious sister who survived COVID-19 and a woman who lost her mother to the deadly virus, Pope Francis led the recitation of rosary by asking Mary to intercede to save the world from the pandemic.

St Peter’s Square was open to the public on 24 May, the Solemnity of the Ascension, and scores of visitors turned up for Pope Francis’ midday prayer and blessing.

The Vatican has last weekend announced that it will commemorate the fifth anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment with a yearlong series of initiatives dedicated to the safeguarding and care for the Earth.

More than 100 young adults are this weekend expected to virtually attend the Sacramentum conference, organised by Catholic Youth Ministry Perth (CYM). However, this time, from their homes, and at no cost.

As countries continue to reel from the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, Pope Francis offered prayers for the men and women who have been unable to work.

Priests and doctors who gave their lives caring for the spiritual and physical wellbeing of others during the coronavirus pandemic are like Jesus – the good shepherd – who laid down his life for his flock, Pope Francis said.

We cannot allow globalisation to become “a new version of colonialism”, His Holiness Pope Francis has said in Querida Amazonia, the Apostolic Exhortation produced as a result of the recent Amazonian Synod in 2019.

Here are the texts of two prayers, written by Pope Francis, for the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. He is asking people to recite the rosary and pray these prayers afterward.

As the world slowly recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a risk it will be struck by an even worse virus – that of selfish indifference, Pope Francis said.

In an Easter celebration like no other, Pope Francis prayed that Christ, “who has already defeated death and opened for us the way to eternal salvation”, would “dispel the darkness of our suffering humanity and lead us into the light of his glorious day, a day that knows no end”.