Pope Francis, who has just turned 88 and has been suffering from a heavy cold, will lead the regular Sunday Angelus prayer from inside his residence as a precaution, the Vatican said in a statement on Saturday.

Gossip causes destruction while family life and humble service strengthens relationships and brings people closer to Christ, Pope Francis told visitors on Saturday.

The Holy Father recalled the popularity of the sport in rural villages in the past and its tendency to help foster a sense of community.

Pope Francis told Vatican bureaucrats on Saturday to stop speaking ill of one another, as he once again used his annual Christmas greetings to admonish the backstabbing and gossiping among his closest collaborators.

ANALYSIS: Typically, cardinals are assigned to a diocese or a role in the Roman Curia. But due to a variety of circumstances, others may wait years before they’re given some work to do.

According to Pope Francis, a bid to kill him during a 2021 visit to Iraq was foiled following a tip from British intelligence.

In a statement, Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, Chicago's archbishop, expressed gratitude to Pope Francis for the "gift of these new auxiliary bishops."

Pope Francis reflected on the devastating consequences of the Gaza war in an address at the Vatican on Saturday, expressing deep sorrow over the bombing of children in the Gaza Strip the previous day.

Over 35 million pilgrims are expected to visit Rome in 2025 seeking forgiveness of sins and a chance to see the pope.

VATICAN— Pope Francis has officially declared the 16 Discalced Carmelite nuns of Compiègne, executed during the Reign of Terror in the French Revolution,

Pope Francis has appointed a new bishop to a Texas-based diocese who will replace a theologically conservative critic of the pontiff removed from office last year