The revolutionary Catholic pope has called 17th-century missionary Joseph Vaz a model of reconciliation after the country’s recent civil war.
A document from the Vatican has called on Catholics to be more accepting and valuing of same-sex couples – but maintain church doctrine on family.
Thieves have broken into a small church in the mountains east of Rome and stolen a reliquary with the blood of the late Pope John Paul II.
In his first message as Roman Catholic leader, Pope Francis has called for an end to the crisis in South Sudan, saying everyone should be peacemakers.
Pope Francis says gay people should not be marginalised but integrated into society, but reaffirmed that the church sees homosexual acts as a sin.
Pope Francis, in his first Easter Sunday address, has called for a diplomatic solution to the crisis on the Korean peninsula.
Pope Francis has inaugurated his papacy with an address calling for the defence of the weakest in society and of the environment.
Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina has been elected to be the new leader of the Roman Catholic Church, and would take the name Francis I.
Roman Catholic cardinals prayed for divine help, hours before a conclave to elect a new pope to tackle the daunting problems facing the church.
Pope Benedict XVI bid an emotional farewell in front of his last general audience, saying he understood the gravity of his decision.