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Pope Francis has decided to put on public display nine tiny fragments of bone which may belong to St Peter, the world’s first Pope.
The fragments were placed in a case on the altar during an open air mass in St Peter’s Square.
The bones reputed to be of St Peter were held aloft by Pope Francis at mass on Sunday – the first time the relics have ever been shown to the public.
Discovered during the excavation of tombs under St Peter’s Basilica in the 1940s, the alleged bones of the saint and apostle who lived 2,000 years ago – and who is considered the first pope – have always been stored in the chapel of the papal apartment.
But to mark the end of the Vatican’s Year of Faith, during which 8.5 million people have visited St Peter’s tomb, the bronze box containing the fragments was brought into St Peter’s Square for an open air mass on Sunday.
Placed on the altar, the box was opened, revealing the fragments – each measuring about an inch long – laid on an ivory base and held down with wire. Pope Francis first wafted incense towards the bones, then held the box aloft during the mass, although he did not refer to them.
The Catholic Church has long been undecided on whether the bones are truly those of St Peter, even though, in 1968 archeologist Margherita Guarducci persuaded Pope Paul VI to say the bones had been “identified in a way we can hold to be convincing”.
Pope Francis has decided to put on public display nine tiny fragments of bone which may belong to St Peter, the world’s first Pope
Prof. Margherita Guarducci had noticed Greek graffiti near the excavated tomb graffiti that she translated as “Peter is here”, while tests on the bones showed they came from a man in his 60s. But her conclusion was rejected by fellow experts involved in the dig.
A Latin inscription on the outside of the bronze box in which the bones are contained states they are “considered” to be St Peter’s.
Ahead of the unveiling, archbishop Rino Fisichella, the head of the pontifical council for the promotion of new evangelization, said the relics were merely “traditionally recognized” as belonging to Saint Peter.
“It has finally been decided to produce the bones for the public, but these relics have a low profile at the Vatican,” said Marco Ansaldo, a Vatican expert at Italy’s La Repubblica.
“It seems clear the Vatican is not yet sure about the relics and is therefore rather embarrassed” he added.
The Vatican also has an ambivalent view of the Turin Shroud, the length of cloth bearing the image of a man, which was reputedly used to wrap the corpse of Christ. Without confirming if they believe the shroud is genuine, Vatican officials say it has earned its role as an object of veneration.
Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said that producing the bones on Sunday was “a way to feel spiritually close to the story of the tomb and of the apostle. There is a serious possibility they are St Peter’s bones, but we don’t go beyond that”.
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Addressing the delegates of the European Olympic Committees at the Vatican on Saturday, Pope Francis has warned that the commercialization of sport may undermine its spiritual values.
Pope Francis told Olympic leaders that looking for profit and victory at all costs risked reducing athletes “to mere trading material”.
“Sport is harmony, but if money and success prevail as the aim, this harmony crumbles,” the Pope said.
The pontiff has struck a different tone to his predecessor on a range of issues.
Pope Francis said recently the Church was too focused on preaching about abortion, gay people and contraception.
He played basketball as a young man and is a keen supporter of his local San Lorenzo football club in Buenos Aires.
Pope Francis told Olympic leaders that looking for profit and victory at all costs risked reducing athletes to mere trading material
Pope Francis had two days of meetings with leaders of the world of sport. He met Sepp Blatter, the head of the International Football Federation (FIFA) and International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach.
He has also been talking about the spiritual values of team games with the rugby squads of Italy and Argentina – ahead of their encounter in Rome.
“Rugby is like life because we are all heading for a goal. We need to run together and pass the ball from hand to hand until we get to it,” Pope Francis told the rugby players.
Addressing the delegates of the European Olympic Committees at the Vatican on Saturday, the Pope said: “When sport is considered only in economic terms and consequently for victory at every cost, it risks reducing athletes to mere trading material from whom profits are extracted.”
Thomas Bach presented the Pope with the Olympic Order in Gold, telling him: “You truly understand the joy in human spirit that sport can bring but just as much the deeper values that it can nurture.”
Sepp Blatter gave Pope Francis a special Latin edition of the FIFA magazine.
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Pope Francis donned a bright red nose and clowned around with a newlywed couple inside the Vatican this week.
The Pope posed with the bride and groom, who are volunteers at a charity that brings clown therapy to sick children.
The lighthearted moment came hours after Pope Francis kissed and prayed with a severely disfigured man at the end of his general audience at St. Peter’s Square.
Pope Francis donned a bright red nose and clowned around with a newlywed couple inside the Vatican
In the eight months since he was elected pope, Pope Francis, 76, has emerged as an endearing figure known for his humility and desire to build a more inclusive church.
When a young boy wandered on stage during a homily last month, the pontiff let him stay by his side and even gave him a playful pat on the head.
Pope Francis has stayed true to his humble Jesuit roots by choosing to live a simple life.
Pope Francis touched the nearly 50,000 attendees at Wednesday’s general audience in St. Peter’s Square by embracing an ailing man who suffers from a disfiguring genetic disorder.
In a series of photos that have since gone viral, Pope Francis is seen praying, then placing his hands on the unnamed man, who then proceeds to bury his head in the pope’s chest.
Pope Francis touched the nearly 50,000 attendees at Wednesday’s general audience in St. Peter’s Square by embracing an ailing man who suffers from a disfiguring genetic disorder
According to the Catholic News Agency, the man suffers from neurofibromatosis, a disease that causes pain and tumors throughout the body, as well as a host of other hearing, vision, heart and nerve complications.
Pope Francis has previously encouraged increased interaction with people from all walks of life, especially the poor, weak and sick.
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Pietro Parolin has been appointed by Pope Francis as the new prime minister of Vatican.
Veteran diplomat Pietro Parolin is replacing Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone as part of Pope Francis’ initiative to reform the Vatican.
Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, appointed by Pope Benedict XVI, had been widely criticized over last year’s so-called “Vatileaks” scandals.
Leaked documents revealed corruption and infighting at the Vatican.
In September Tarcisio Bertone said he had been the victim of “moles and vipers”.
Pietro Parolin is replacing Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone as part of Pope Francis’ initiative to reform the Vatican
“Of course there were a lot of problems, particularly in the last two years, and some accusations were levied against me,” he said.
“But this should not darken what I see as a positive overall result. We missed some things, also because problems were kept locked away by some people who did not contact the Secretariat of State,” Tarcisio Bertone added.
Cardinals welcomed the choice of Pietro Parolin who is seen as a reformer and known for his efforts to improve relations with China and Israel.
The French cardinal, Jean-Louis Tauran, told Vatican radio that Pietro Parolin was “an excellent choice, an efficient man, a good negotiator, very balanced.”
Pope Francis has already set in motion the reform of the Vatican Bank which has allegedly been turning a blind eye to money-laundering by some of its clients. He has also appointed a committee of Catholic economists to advise him on improving accounting methods and financial transparency.
The appointment of Pope Francis’ new secretary of state is seen by Vatican watchers as the most important single administrative act carried out by the new Pope since his election last March.
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Pope Francis has once again condemning the Roman Catholic Church’s narcissistic “Vatican-centric view” of religion.
Pope Francis, who was elected earlier this year after Pope Benedict’s resignation, has been praised for his comments since taking the position.
During a discussion with the atheist editor of La Repubblica, an Italian newspaper, Pope Francis once again made it clear that he is looking to reform the church.
The Pontiff commented: “This Vatican-centric view neglects the world around us. I don not share this view and I’ll do everything I can to change to it.”
Pope Francis then went on to lay out his plan, stating: “The Church is or should go back to being a community of God’s people, and priests, pastors and bishops who have the care of souls, are at the service of the people of God.”
Pope Francis has once again condemning the Roman Catholic Church’s narcissistic “Vatican-centric view” of religion
He continued: “And I believe in God, not in a Catholic God, there is no Catholic God, there is God and I believe in Jesus Christ, his incarnation. Jesus is my teacher and my pastor, but God, the Father, Abba, is the light and the Creator. This is my Being. Do you think we are very far apart?”
Since becoming the leader of the Catholic Church, Francis has proven that he is a more liberal kind of Pope. He has proven this by being more lenient on various subjects which have included atheism.
Recently, Pope Francis even criticized the church for being too obsessed with certain issues. Back in September, the Pontiff was quoted as saying: “We have to find a new balance, otherwise even the moral edifice of the church is likely to fall like a house of cards, losing the freshness and the fragrance of the Gospel.”
Pope Francis then added: “The church has sometimes locked itself up in small things, in small-minded rules,” before asking his clergy to not act like government officials or bureaucrats.
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Pope Francis has arrived in the town of Assisi to pray at the shrine of the 13th-Century saint whose name he adopted.
The pontiff is accompanied by eight cardinals chosen to help him shape a radical programme of reform for the Vatican.
The Pope has said he wants today’s Catholic Church to resemble St Francis of Assisi’s “church of the poor”.
He wants to use abandoned monasteries and convents to house refugees.
Pope Francis also says he wants to see a less hierarchical Church which is less centred on the Vatican.
Pope Francis has arrived in the town of Assisi to pray at the shrine of the 13th-Century saint whose name he adopted
Two days ago Pope Francis told Italian newspaper La Repubblica his namesake had “longed for a poor Church that looked after others, accepted monetary help and used it to help others with no thought of itself”.
“Eight-hundred years have passed and times have changed, but the ideal of a missionary and poor Church is still more than valid,” he said.
During his day-long “pilgrimage” to Assisi, the Pope is expected to meet groups of poor, sick and disabled people who are being looked after by Catholic orders or charities.
St Francis of Assisi is the patron saint of Italy.
Known in Italian as Il Poverello, or the Poor One, he was the son of a wealthy local cloth merchant who scandalized his family when he reached the age of 25 by dumping his expensive clothing and living in sackcloth, ministering to the poor for the rest of his life.
Pope Francis has become known for his candid views – unlike anything heard coming out of the Vatican during recent papacies.
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Pope Francis has announced that Pope John Paul II and Pope John XXIII will be declared saints on April 27, 2014.
The pontiff said in July that he would canonize his two predecessors, after approving a second miracle attributed to John Paul.
Polish John Paul, the first non-Italian pope for more than 400 years, led the Catholic Church from 1978 to 2005.
Pope John Paul II and Pope John XXIII will be declared saints on April 27, 2014
Pope John XXIII was pontiff from 1958 to 1963, calling the Second Vatican Council that transformed the Church.
The decision to canonize the two popes at the same time appears designed to unify Catholics, correspondents say.
Pope John Paul II is a favorite of conservative Catholics, while Pope John XXIII is widely admired by the Church’s progressive wing.
John Paul stood out for his media-friendly, globetrotting style. He was a fierce critic of both communism and what he saw as the excesses of capitalism.
Pope John is remembered for introducing the vernacular to replace Latin in church masses and for creating warmer ties between the Catholic Church and the Jewish faith.
Pope John XXIII has a big following in Italy, where he is known as Il Papa Buono, the good pope.
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Pope Francis has warned that the Catholic Church is too focused on preaching about abortion, gay people and contraception and needs to become more merciful.
The Pope warned that the Church’s moral structure could “fall like a house of cards” unless it changed.
Pope Francis used the first major interview of his papacy to explain comments he made in July about homosexuality.
He told a Jesuit magazine the Church must show balance and “heal wounds”.
The pontiff used the 12,000-word interview with La Civilta Cattolicato to set out his priorities as Pope, acknowledge his own shortcomings and open up about his cultural interests.
Pope Francis’ vision for relegating the Catholic Church’s reliance on rules marks a contrast to the priorities of his predecessors, John Paul II and Benedict XVI, who saw doctrine as the paramount guide for clergy
“The church’s pastoral ministry cannot be obsessed with the transmission of a disjointed multitude of doctrines to be imposed insistently,” Pope Francis said.
“We have to find a new balance; otherwise even the moral edifice of the church is likely to fall like a house of cards, losing the freshness and fragrance of the Gospel.”
Instead, he said, the Catholic Church must work to heal the wounds of its faithful and seek out those who have been excluded or have fallen away.
“It is useless to ask a seriously injured person if he has high cholesterol and about the level of his blood sugars,” he said.
“You have to heal his wounds. Then we can talk about everything else.”
Pope Francis said the Church had become tied up in “small-minded rules” and risked losing its true purpose.
Pope Francis has warned that the Catholic Church is too focused on preaching about abortion, gay people and contraception and needs to become more merciful
“The most important thing is the first proclamation: Jesus Christ has saved you. And the ministers of the Church must be ministers of mercy above all.”
His remarks are could generate dismay among clergy in the United States who have already expressed disappointment that Francis has not pressed Church teaching on abortion, contraception and homo***uality.
Last week, Bishop Thomas Tobin of Providence, Rhode Island, wrote in his diocesan newspaper that he was “disappointed” Pope Francis hadn’t addressed abortion since his papacy began six months ago, according to AP.
Pope Francis said it was not necessary to speak out on such issues.
“We cannot insist only on issues related to abortion, gay marriage and the use of contraceptive methods. This is not possible,” he said.
“The teaching of the Church, for that matter, is clear and I am a son of the Church, but it is not necessary to talk about these issues all the time.”
Pope Francis created headlines two months ago when he spoke about gay priests during an impromptu news conference on a return flight from Brazil. He said it was not up to him to judge about the sexual orientation of clergy as long as they were searching for God and had goodwill.
In his latest interview, Pope Francis said his remarks were in line with Catholic teaching.
“This Church with which we should be thinking is the home of all, not a small chapel that can hold only a small group of selected people. We must not reduce the bosom of the universal Church to a nest protecting our mediocrity,” he said.
Pope Francis also used the interview to detail his favorite composers, artists, authors and films, which include Mozart, Caravaggio, Dostoevsky and Fellini’s La Strada.
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Pope Francis has received a 20-year-old white Renault 4 to drive himself around Vatican City.
The car – which has 300,000 km (190,000 miles) on the clock – was presented to Pope Francis by Father Renzo Zocca at the weekend. The pontiff later drove it.
Known for his humble lifestyle, Pope Francis said he used to drive the same car in his native Argentina.
In a bid to encourage austerity in the Church, the Pope has urged officials to avoid using expensive limousines.
Pope Francis has received a 20-year-old white Renault 4 to drive himself around Vatican City
Father Renzo Zocca said he was moved by the Pope’s effort to create “a Church for the poor”, and told the Italian magazine Famiglia Cristiana that he wanted to give him a gift.
“What better than my old Renault 4?” he asked.
Father Renzo Zocca said he was surprised to receive a phone call from the pontiff accepting the gift.
The Italian priest turned up at his Vatican residence on Saturday to present the car.
Pope Francis’ bodyguards were amazed when he took the keys and drove off.
Pope Francis showed he is well in touch with what’s popular in society today by posing for a “selfie” with young Italian pilgrims in St Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City.
The head of 1.2 billion Catholics worldwide has already amassed more than three million followers on the social networking site Twitter, with his latest offering believed to be the first ever “papal selfie”.
Pope Francis posed for a selfie with young Italian pilgrims in St Peter’s Basilica
Around 500 teenagers had travelled from the Diocese of Piacenza and Bobbio for a pilgrimage, and shared a private audience with the pontiff.
Pope Francis was also presented a gift from his followers of a portrait of Jesus wearing a crown of thorns.
He has made a concerted effort to understand and integrate with worldwide youth since he succeeded Pope Benedict XVI.
This was demonstrated when Pope Francis attended Brazil’s World Youth Day, with tens of thousands of people greeting him as he urged young Catholics to “make disciples of all nations”.
Following his return to Vatican City from Brazil, Pope Francis Tweeted: “What an unforgettable week in Rio! Thank you, everyone. Pray for me. #Rio2013 #JMJ.”
The Pope has already charmed the masses with his informal style, simplicity and sense of humor.
Pope Francis has also being known to ring people up who have written to him asking for prayers or told him of personal tragedy.
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Pope Francis has once again shown his willingness to break with tradition by bowing to Muslim royal Queen Rania of Jordan.
As leader of the world’s 1.2billion-strong Catholic community, protocol usually dictates that visitors bow to the Pope when they meet him at the Vatican.
Pope Francis has once again shown his willingness to break with tradition by bowing to Muslim royal Queen Rania of Jordan
But when Queen Rania came to the Holy See with her husband King Abdullah II on Thursday, he inverted that formality by lowering his head to her.
Pope Francis made no discernible bow toward her husband, the king. The Jordanian royals were leaving following a private audience with the pope in his library.
“Francis behaves as he did before he became pope and is not interested in protocol,” a senior Vatican official told the Daily Telegraph.
Up until the 19th century, those meeting the pope stoop to kiss his slippers and, to this day, the tradition remains that all visitors, including women, bow to him, the official said.
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Pope Francis has called on all people of faith, regardless of religious sect or affiliations, to observe Saturday, September 7, as a global day of prayer and fasting for Syria.
The pontiff condemned the use of chemical weapons as a means to settle any domestic or international conflict.
On September 7, staring 7 PM until midnight at St Peter’s Square, Pope Francis asked each and every religious person and those against war to join him “gather together in prayer, in a spirit of penitence, to ask from God this great gift [of peace] for the beloved Syrian nation and for all the situations of conflict and violence in the world.”
“Never again war!” Pope Francis said.
The pontiff referred to the Second World War of 1939 to 1945 of which he was able to personally witness the destruction, loss of lives as well as after effects as rehabilitation and rebuilding started to take place.
Pope Francis has called on all people of faith, regardless of religious sect or affiliations, to observe September 7, as a global day of prayer and fasting for Syria
Pope Francis was born on December 17, 1936.
“War brings on war! Violence brings on violence,” he said.
“We want a peaceful world.
“We want to be men and women of peace.”
Pope Francis continued to urge both sides that any conflict will not be ended with another conflict. Instead, “listen to the voice of their conscience and with courage take up the way of negotiations”.
“Humanity needs to see these gestures of peace and to hear words of hope and peace!” he said.
“All men and women of good will are bound by the task of pursuing peace.
“I forcefully condemn the use of chemical weapons.
“I tell you I have impressed in my mind and heart the images of what happened in the last days.
“There is the judgment of God, and also the judgment of history, upon our actions from which there is no escaping.”
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Pope Francis has appointed Archbishop Pietro Parolin as new secretary of state.
The move is seen as the Pope’s most significant appointment since he became leader of the Catholic Church in March.
Archbishop Pietro Parolin, a 58-year-old Vatican diplomat, replaced Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, 79, who is retiring.
Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, appointed by Francis’ predecessor Pope Benedict, had been widely criticized over last year’s so-called “Vatileaks” scandals.
Leaked documents revealed corruption and infighting at the Vatican.
The secretary of state heads the Roman Curia, the central administration of the Catholic Church, and is the Pope’s chief adviser.
Pope Francis has appointed Archbishop Pietro Parolin as new secretary of state
Archbishop Parolin, an Italian, is currently the Vatican’s nuncio – or ambassador – in Venezuela.
In a statement, he said he would give the Pope his “completely availability to work with him and under his guidance for the greater glory of God, the good of the holy Church and the progress and peace”.
Pope Francis’ appointment marks the beginning of the replacement or dismissal of several former key members of Benedict’s administrative team.
The Pope has also promised to stamp out abuses at the Vatican bank – officially known as the Institute for Religious Works.
Shortly after his appointment, he set up a commission to investigate the bank and report back to him personally.
He later issued a decree to combat money-laundering.
The Vatileaks scandals erupted in 2012, when former Pope Benedict’s butler, Paolo Gabriele, published confidential documents from Vatican offices alleging widespread corruption and mismanagement.
Paolo Gabriele was convicted and sentenced to 18 months in jail for stealing the papers, but he was subsequently pardoned by Pope Benedict.
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Pope Emeritus Benedict has said he resigned after God told him during what he called a “mystical experience”, a Catholic news agency reported.
Pope Benedict announced his shock resignation in February and became the first pontiff to step down in 600 years.
“God told me to do it,” the Zenith agency quoted Benedict as saying to a visitor to the convent in the Vatican gardens where he is living out his retirement in near isolation.
According to the agency, Benedict told his visitor, who asked to remain anonymous, that God did not speak to him in a vision but in what the former pope called “a mystical experience”.
Pope Benedict announced his shock resignation in February and became the first pontiff to step down in 600 years
According to Italian media, Pope Benedict’s decision to step down was influenced by the various scandals that blighted his eight-year papacy, including the arrest of his personal butler for leaking private documents alleging corruption in the Vatican.
He was succeeded by Pope Francis, the former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina, who was elected as the first non-European pontiff in 1,300 years.
According to the Rome-based Zenith, Benedict told his visitor that the more he observes the way Pope Francis carries out his papal duties, the more he realized the choice was “wanted by God”.
Last Sunday, Benedict spent a day at the papal summer retreat at Castel Gandolfo, south of Rome, to escape the heat of the capital.
The visit indicated that the 86-year-old ex pope’s health was good enough for him to travel.
There had been media reports that since his resignation, Pope Emeritus Benedict’s health had deteriorated dramatically.
In his Eid message, Pope Francis has urged Christians and Muslims to work together to promote mutual respect, particularly by educating new generations of believers.
The pontiff greeted Muslims around the world during his Sunday blessing of pilgrims gathered in St Peter’s Square in Rome.
Pope Francis has urged Christians and Muslims to work together to promote mutual respect
Pope Francis said that “our brothers” the Muslims had just concluded their holy month of Ramadan, dedicated to fasting, prayer and alms-giving.
The Pope spoke from his studio window overlooking the square.
Pope Francis, who has made caring for the poor the landmark theme of his pontificate, addressed tens of thousands of pilgrims gathered in scorching summer heat.
Unlike his predecessors who spent their summers in the papal villa at Castel Gandolfo outside the Italian capital, where the weather is slightly cooler, Pope Francis has chosen to continue working at the Vatican during the summer holidays.
Pope Francis is preparing major reforms of the Vatican bureaucracy as a result of scandals involving Vatican finances and clerical abuse of minors.
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Pope Francis has stepped up the fight against corruption at the Vatican by strengthening supervision of financial transactions at its internal bank.
The Pope issued a decree designed to combat money-laundering and prevent any financing of terrorism.
It is the latest move to stamp out abuses at the Vatican bank, which handles funds for the Catholic Church.
Pope Francis recently set up a commission to investigate the bank and report back to him personally.
Last month the Vatican froze the account of a senior cleric, Monsignor Nunzio Scarano, suspected of involvement in money-laundering.
Monsignor Nunzio Scarano and two others were arrested by Italian police in June on suspicion of trying to move 20 million euros ($26 million) illegally.
Pope Francis has stepped up the fight against corruption at the Vatican by strengthening supervision of financial transactions at its internal bank
Pope Francis’ number one priority this summer is to sort out the financial mess at the Vatican bank and a parent body which looks after the financial assets of the Holy See.
The new decree is intended to tackle “money-laundering, the financing of terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction”, the Vatican said.
It sets up a financial security committee to coordinate the anti-corruption effort.
Church spokesman Federico Lombardi said the decree would help the Vatican resist “increasingly insidious” forms of international financial crime.
A French-based financial watchdog, Moneyval, has been carrying out a review of the Vatican bank’s operations.
It found that the bank had not always exercised due diligence.
The Vatican bank, which is known officially as the Institute for Religious Works, handles the payroll for some 5,000 Vatican employees.
It also handles the funds for the central administration of the Catholic Church and holds the accounts of cardinals, bishops, priests, nuns and religious orders around the world.
It does not lend money and has assets worth $8.3 billion (6.2 billion euros).
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Pope Francis has closed World Youth Day festival in Rio de Janeiro with a Mass on Copacabana beach.
More than three million people are estimated to have gathered for the service in the city of Rio de Janeiro.
Many of the pilgrims had slept on the beach after attending an all-night vigil, which Pope Francis also led.
Sunday’s ceremony marks the end of the Pope’s five-day visit to Brazil – his first foreign trip since becoming pontiff in March.
Pope Francis is set to fly back to Rome later on Sunday.
Correspondents say almost every inch of the two-and-a-half mile long beach was occupied ahead of the Mass, as most of the young people stayed after the vigil, pitching tents or sleeping in the open.
The vigil and Sunday mass have attracted the biggest crowd ever to Copacabana beach, which has hosted rock concerts, sports events and the traditional New Year celebrations.
Pope Francis encouraged young Catholics to get out of their parochial boundaries in order to help others.
“Go and don’t be afraid of serving,” he said.
More than three million people are estimated to have gathered for Pope Francis’ final service in the city of Rio de Janeiro
“Jesus did not gather the Apostles so they lived in isolation. He called them so they formed a group, a community,” said Pope Francis.
Pope Francis announced the next Catholic youth festival would be held in the Polish city of Krakow in 2016.
Female activists held a demonstration nearby in support of abortion and women’s rights.
In the past three decades, the Catholic church has lost millions of followers to smaller Christian denominations.
In his vigil address on Saturday, the pontiff had urged the pilgrims not to be “part-time Christians”, but to lead full, meaningful lives.
Speaking on a huge stage at the beach where a mock church structure was built, Pope Francis referred to the street protests which have been taking place in Brazil for more than a month.
“The young people in the street are the ones who want to be actors of change. Please don’t let others be actors of change,” he told the crowd at the vigil.
“Keep overcoming apathy and offering a Christian response to the social and political concerns taking place in different parts of the world.”
Also on Saturday, the Pope repeated his challenge to fellow Roman Catholic clerics to take to the streets.
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Crowds of Roman Catholic pilgrims in Rio de Janeiro have joined Pope Francis for a re-enactment of Jesus carrying the cross to his crucifixion.
The Stations of the Cross march comes on the Pope’s fifth day in Brazil for World Youth Day – a weeklong event for more than a million young Christians.
Pope Francis spoke about the lack of faith in political institutions perceived as selfish and corrupt by young people.
A planned field vigil outside Rio de Janeiro was moved to the city because of rain.
Young Catholics played drums on Copacabana beach as they waited for the Pope. People from all over the world travelled to Brazil for the pontiff’s visit.
“Jesus is united with so many young people who have lost faith in political institutions, because they see in them only selfishness and corruption,” Pope Francis said.
Protests, sometimes violent, broke out in cities across Brazil last month against corruption, poor public services and the high cost of events like the 2014 World Cup.
Pope Francis, 76, also expressed understanding for Christians who had lost faith in the church because of what he called the “incoherence of Christians and ministers of the gospel”.
The Roman Catholic Church has been rocked by scandals over abuse by priests.
Crowds of Roman Catholic pilgrims in Rio de Janeiro have joined Pope Francis for a re-enactment of Jesus carrying the cross to his crucifixion
A pilgrim described the Pope as “very clever” and “very humble” with “a lot” of personality.
“It’s what our religion… our church is needing right now,” she said.
Shortly after Pope Francis finished speaking, police held a group of protesters who tried to invade the stage. They were demonstrating against the state governor of Rio, Sergio Cabral.
In Brazil’s largest city, Sao Paulo, some 300 demonstrators attacked several bank branches and at least one police post in protest against the state governor there.
Police said at least eight bank branches were attacked, and for a time several of Sao Paulo’s main avenues were blocked.
Tear gas was used to disperse the protesters.
Earlier, Latin America’s first pontiff met a group of prisoners in a palace of the Rio archdiocese.
Pope Francis then emerged on a balcony to address the crowd, urging them to cherish the elderly on Grandparents’ Day.
“How important grandparents are for family life, for passing on the human and religious heritage which is so essential for each and every society,” he said.
Pope Francis then went to a park where he heard three Brazilians, a Venezuelan and an Italian confess their sins.
Brazil is the world’s biggest Roman Catholic country, despite the growing popularity of Pentecostal Christianity in the country.
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Pope Francis has met thousands of pilgrims at Copacabana beach, in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, to hold the greeting ceremony for World Youth Day.
After arriving by helicopter, Pope Francis drove along the 2.5 miles of the beach, stopping many times to greet the crowd.
An estimated 1 million pilgrims attended the event, following a papal visit to a shanty town, or favela.
Meanwhile, bad weather has forced this weekend’s events to be moved from a drenched farm on the outskirts of Rio.
A site set up at a farm on the western outskirts of the city for Saturday’s vigil and Sunday’s service, where up to 2 million people are expected, was covered with mud and puddles after two days of relentless rain.
The authorities have announced that these events will now also take place at Copacabana beach.
Hours before Pope Francis arrived at Copacabana on Thursday, young pilgrims started gathering along the beach.
“I’ve always heard that Cariocas [Rio-born people] did not like the cold or the rain. But you are showing your faith is stronger. Well done!” Pope Francis joked with the crowd at the start of his address.
Groups resembling Olympic delegation were holding up the flags of their countries and many were carrying the distinct World Youth Day backpacks in yellow, green or blue, the colors of the host-country’s flag.
Pope Francis has met thousands of pilgrims at Copacabana beach to hold the greeting ceremony for World Youth Day
Big screens were set up on the sand and the rain stopped before the event.
On the fourth day of his visit to Brazil, the first international trip of his papacy, Pope Francis also addressed Argentine faithful in Rio’s cathedral.
During the event, the pontiff told pilgrims to take to the streets and “stir things up”.
“I expect a messy World Youth Day. But I want things messy and stirred up in the congregations, I want you to take to the streets. I want the Church to take to the streets,” the Argentine-born pope told the crowd.
Before the meeting with his fellow countrymen, Pope Francis blessed the new altar at a tiny church and hugged and kissed locals who crowded the Varginha community streets.
Security was tight in the shanty town, which is part of the larger Manguinhos favela, one of the many hillside shanty towns which surround Rio.
Helicopters and sharpshooters were on patrol as Pope Francis visited the area while school children waved flags and held up balloons.
The Brazilian government has made the “pacification” of these communities, once a byword for poverty, crime and drugs, one of its priorities.
Heavily-armed police have moved into some of the more lawless favelas, including Varginha, to “flush out” the criminals and drug dealers who controlled large swathes of these communities.
According to official estimates, more than 20% of the population of the city live in favelas.
Pope Francis, who has called for a “Church of the poor” and who during his time as Archbishop of Buenos Aires regularly visited some of the poorest areas of that city, specifically asked for a favela to be included in his schedule.
Locals say the government’s policy of sending large numbers of police to the area has gone some way towards calming the area, but not enough.
The visit comes just a day after Pope Francis said it was key to tackle the roots of drug abuse rather than consider legalizing them.
At a Mass at the shrine of Aparecida, the Pope also warned tens of thousands of faithful against the “passing idols” of money, power and pleasure.
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Pope Francis has warned against drug legalization plans in Latin America during the inauguration of a clinic for drug addicts in Rio de Janeiro.
The roots of drug abuse should be tackled, he said on the third day of his visit to Brazil.
Uruguay is close to allowing the legal sale of marijuana, with other countries pondering similar liberalization.
Earlier, the Argentine-born pontiff celebrated the first Mass of his trip, at the Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida.
He warned tens of thousands of faithful against the “passing idols” of money, power and pleasure.
After the visit to Aparecida, in the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo, the pope flew back to Rio de Janeiro.
At the inauguration of a drug rehabilitation clinic at the Sao Francisco hospital, he hugged former addicts and heard their stories.
Pope Francis has warned against drug legalization plans in Latin America during the inauguration of a clinic for drug addicts in Rio de Janeiro
“It is necessary to tackle the problems which are at the root of drug abuse, promoting more justice, educating the youth with the values that live in society, standing by those who face hardship and giving them hope for the future,” Pope Francis said.
Pope Francis also warned against plans to legalize drugs in Latin America and condemned drug-traffickers.
“How many dealers of death there are that follow the logic of power and money at any cost! The scourge of drug-trafficking, that favors violence and sows the seeds of suffering and death, requires of society as a whole an act of courage,” he said.
Leaders in Colombia, Bolivia, Ecuador and others have spoken for softer stances on drugs policy.
In Uruguay, a project decriminalizing marijuana sale is set to be voted in Congress next week.
President Jose Mujica says its main goal is combating drug trafficking.
On Monday Pope Francis faced chaotic scenes as he arrived in Rio de Janeiro.
The pontiff is in Brazil to attend the Roman Catholic World Youth Day festival. It is his first trip abroad since becoming head of the Catholic Church in March.
The highlight of the five-day festival will be a prayer service on Rio’s iconic Copacabana Beach on Thursday.
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Hundreds of thousands of Catholics have gathered at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro for the opening of the World Youth Day festival.
The highlight of the festival will be a visit on Thursday by Pope Francis.
Pope Francis arrived on Monday for his first trip abroad since becoming head of the Roman Catholic Church.
The pontiff’s visit is taking place under tight security, after weeks of protests against the government and corruption.
Tuesday’s evening mass at Copacabana Beach will be led by Rio’s Archbishop Orani Joao Tempesta.
Hundreds of thousands of Catholics have gathered at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro for the opening of the World Youth Day festival
Pope Francis will welcome pilgrims to the five-day festival, which is expected to draw about 1.5 million people from around the world.
The Pope, who is from neighboring Argentina, has no public events scheduled for Tuesday and was spending time at a private residence.
Correspondents say Brazil is reviewing security around the 76-year-old pontiff after he was mobbed by adoring crowds following his arrival in Brazil on Monday.
Many were able to stop the Pope’s motorcade as it travelled through Rio and reach their hands inside his car’s open window.
“The Pope’s secretary told me he was terrified, but the Pope kept smiling,” Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi told reporters.
Pope Francis was officially welcomed at the state governor’s palace by President Dilma Rousseff. However, police outside later fired tear gas to disperse people who were protesting against the government, but also against the cost of the papal visit.
On Wednesday Pope Francis will visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida in Sao Paulo state, where a homemade explosive device was discovered on Sunday.
The authorities said the device was “of low power” and nowhere near the area where the Pope and pilgrims will visit.
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Pope Francis’ visit to Brazil – main events:
Monday:
- Arrival and welcoming ceremony at Rio state governor’s palace
Tuesday
- No scheduled public events
Wednesday:
Pope Francis was greeted by Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff at Rio de Janeiro airport
- Visit to the Shrine of Our Lady of the Conception of Aparecida and to the St Francis of Assisi of the Providence of God Hospital in Rio
Thursday:
- Visit to the Varginha community in Rio, welcoming ceremony at the World Youth Day on Copacabana
Friday:
- Meeting with young prisoners and a Way of the Cross ceremony on Copacabana
Saturday:
- Meeting with Brazil’s leaders in Rio and a prayer vigil with young people
Sunday:
- Holy Mass for the World Youth Day in Rio, farewell ceremony and departure for Rome
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Pope Francis has been greeted by tens of thousands of Brazilian pilgrims as he toured Rio de Janeiro in an open car and then met President Dilma Rousseff at the state governor’s palace.
After the pontiff left, police fired tear gas to disperse protests against both the government and the cost of the visit.
Pope Francis is in Brazil to attend the Roman Catholic World Youth Day festival.
In a speech soon after his arrival, the Pope urged young Catholics to “make disciples of all nations”.
“I came to meet young people coming from all over the world, drawn to the open arms of Christ the Redeemer,” he said at the governor’s palace, referring to Rio’s famous vast statue of Jesus.
“They want to find a refuge in his embrace, right near his heart to hear his call clearly and powerfully.”
About an hour after the welcoming ceremony, police fired stun grenades and tear gas against the demonstrators outside the palace.
It was the latest rally against what the protesters described as endemic government corruption across the country.
But some were also unhappy about $53 million in public fund being spent for the pontiff’s visit.
There was little damage and few arrests, but it was a reminder that there is still a real possibility the pontiff’s high-profile visit to a huge Catholic festival in Rio could be overshadowed by political events.
Crowds mobbed Pope Francis’ car in Rio de Janeiro as it made its way from the airport
In a separate development, the military said a homemade explosive device had been discovered at a shrine between Rio and Sao Paulo that the Pope is due to visit on Wednesday.
The device at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Conception of Aparecida was described as being “of low power” and was destroyed.
As Pope Francis disembarked from the Alitalia plane in Rio’s airport earlier on Monday, he was welcomed by President Dilma Rousseff to cheers and applause from the waiting crowd. A choir sang an anthem linked to Youth Day and he was presented with a bouquet of flowers.
The Pope waved before being taken by motorcade to the centre of Rio, where thousands of pilgrims have gathered.
Pope Francis looked relaxed and jovial as he was driven into Rio de Janeiro in a modest family car, with the window wound down and security officials struggling to keep back the crowds.
There were chaotic scenes as his car became stuck in one of the city’s infamous traffic jams, after the pope’s driver reportedly took the wrong turn and missed lanes that had been cleared by the security services.
Crowds immediately gathered round the vehicle hoping to catch a glimpse or touch Pope Francis. One woman passed her baby through the window for a kiss from the Holy Father.
Once in the city centre, the Pope switched to an open-air Popemobile, waving at the tens of thousands who lined the streets he travelled through.
The authorities have increased security during the Pope’s seven-day visit, following weeks of nationwide protests against corruption and bad governance.
Pope Francis refused to use an armored Popemobile, despite requests from Brazilian officials. Some 30,000 security staff – army and police are on duty throughout his visit.
More than a million young Catholics are expected to gather in Rio for World Youth Day, which takes place every two years, and is a celebration of the Catholic faith.
The Argentina-born Pope – who became head of the Catholic Church in March – is due to lead a prayer service on Copacabana beach on Thursday. He will also visit one of Rio’s shanty towns.
Speaking to reporters on his flight from Rome, the Pope said young people were “at this moment are in crisis,” in an apparent reference to the continuing economic crisis across Europe.
“We run the risk of having a generation that hasn’t worked,” he said, even though work confers dignity.
Pope Francis also criticized what he said was a “culture” of socially rejecting the elderly who were “thrown away” as if they had nothing to offer.
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Pope Francis has arrived in Rio de Janeiro on his first trip abroad since becoming head of the Catholic Church in March.
The first Latin American Pope touched down at Rio de Janeiro airport on Monday afternoon and was greeted by Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff.
The Argentina-born pontiff has travelled to Brazil to attend the Roman Catholic World Youth Day festival.
En route, Pope Francis told reporters that the global crisis risked creating a lost generation of jobless youth.
Pope Francis has arrived in Rio de Janeiro on his first trip abroad since becoming head of the Catholic Church
As he left the Alitalia plane, Pope Francis was welcomed by President Dilma Rousseff to cheers and applause from the waiting crowd. A choir sang and the pontiff was presented with a bouquet of flowers.
Pope Francis waved before being taken by motorcade to the centre of Rio de Janeiro, where large numbers of pilgrims have gathered.
The authorities have increased security during the Pope’s visit, following weeks of nationwide protests against corruption and bad governance.
Pope Francis has refused to use an armored Popemobile, despite requests from Brazilian officials. Some 22,000 security staff will be on duty during his visit.
More than a million young Catholics are expected to gather in Rio for World Youth Day, which takes place every two years, and is a celebration of the Catholic faith.
Pope Francis is due to lead a service on Copacabana beach, and visit a shanty town.
Speaking to reporters on his flight from Rome, Pope Francis said: “We run the risk of having a generation that hasn’t worked,” even though work confers dignity.
Pope Francis also criticized what he said was a “culture” of socially rejecting the elderly who were “thrown away” as if they had nothing to offer.
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