Vatican City 

To open the year, Pope Francis made a strong appeal during his homily during the holy Mass at the Vatican to stop violence against women, recalling that the "Church is both mother and woman"

Pope Francis in Christmas address urged humility among Vatican departments' heads

Pope Francis has established a new Vatican foundation that will promote initiatives based on the principles set forth in his encyclical "Fratelli Tutti", on fraternity and social friendship

Pope Francis highlighted World AIDS Day yesterday as “an important occasion to remember the many people affected by this virus, for many of whom in some parts of the world, access to essential treatment is unavailable."

A football match will be held today between representatives of the World Roma Organization and the "Pope's Team - All Brothers", to raise funds for the project "A Kick at Exclusion" promoting the inclusion of Roma and the most vulnerable

Jesuit Missions, the international development office for the Jesuits in Britain, is hosting a pilgrimage dedicated to climate justice, with pilgrims walking from Edinburgh to Glasgow during COP26; Pope Francis prayed for success of the Climate Summit

The "Fratelli tutti" Foundation has been launched in the Vatican, aimed at promoting and supporting sustainable growth and a new humanism, providing a laboratory for the future, by focusing on social justice, solidarity and the building of the common good

The Pope has appointed Monsignor Diego Ravelli as the new Master of Papal Liturgical Ceremonies and head of the Sistine Chapel Choir

Pope Francis has sent financial aid to South Sudanese affected by devastating floods - US$75.000 - and to residents in areas of Greece - US$50.000 - where fires have destroyed large areas of land

The 2021 Assembly of the Pontifical Academy for Life, opening today, focuses on “Public Health in Global Perspective. Pandemic, Bioethics, Future” and includes a workshop with Nobel laureate Dr Hoffman and Dr Barbe of the World Medical Association

Rocco Buttliere, a LEGO architect from Chicago, has created a realistic replica of the Vatican City State using 67.000 LEGO pieces

Pope Francis sent 15.000 ice creams to prisoners in Rome's Regina Coeli and Rebibbia prisons by papal admonisher Cardinal Konrad Krajewski