Pope Francis will travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan from 31 January to 5 February 2023, after having postponed a visit planned for the summer of 2022 due to health problems

Expressing hope that talks in Istanbul would open to a peace path, the Vatican is "Ready to offer spaces" for peace talks and "willing to offer good offices to facilitate meetings” while does not want “to interfere with other ongoing initiatives.”

American cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected the new Pope as the 267th Bishop of Rome and leader of the Roman Catholic Church; elected during the fourth round of voting, he has taken the name Pope Leo XIV

Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, 21 April 2025, at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican's Casa Santa Marta; he dedicated his last Easter Urbi et Orbi message to calling for peace worldwide, for global disarmament and the release of prisoners

Today the Secretary of State, Cardinal Parolin, will preside over the special Mass in the Vatican commemorating the 20th anniversary of the death of Pope Saint John Paul II; Pope Francis has sent his encouragement to those partaking in the commemorations