Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, OFM, said on Friday that Pope Francis is known by the children of Holy Family Church in Gaza as “the grandfather.”

As the iconic Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris reopened its doors five years after a devastating fire, Pope Francis on Saturday called the church’s restoration a “prophetic sign” of the Church’s renewal in France.

The doors of the newly restored Notre-Dame of Paris Cathedral were officially reopened to the public during a ceremony Saturday evening just over five years after a blaze ravaged the iconic structure’s roof, frame, and spire.

Pope Francis celebrated Mass with the College of Cardinals on Sunday in St. Peter’s Basilica, concluding a historic week that welcomed 21 new cardinals.

Pope Francis issued a heartfelt plea for peace during the Sunday Angelus on the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, urging international leaders to broker ceasefires in conflict zones by Christmas.

Pope Francis celebrated the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception on Sunday with visits to the Basilica of St. Mary Major, the Spanish Steps, and a cherished painting.

The number of cardinal electors is the most critical data point to emerge from this weekend’s consistory. Of the 140 cardinal electors, 110 have been created by Pope Francis, 24 by Benedict XVI, and six by St. John Paul II.

The Pontifical Sanctuary of the Holy House, perched on the hilltop town of Loreto in Central Italy, is one of the most famous and precious Marian Shrines in the world.

The Roman sanctuary of Tre Fontane, a place of prayer and conversion, today stands as a symbol of hope in a world devastated by wars and suffering.

Nestled in the heart of Rome, the Venerable English College has been forming men to the priesthood since the English Reformation, an extremely dangerous time for Catholics.

Pope Francis has created 142 cardinals from 70 countries across nine consistories since his election in 2013, profoundly shaping the future of the Catholic Church.

The Nativity scene in St. Peter’s Square and the traditional huge Christmas tree were inaugurated on December 7.

Pope Francis this week encouraged participants of the second International Congress of Confraternities and Brotherhoods to bring Christ “out into the streets so that he may enter into all hearts.”

Archbishop Domenico Battaglia of Naples, Italy said he sees the appointment not as a personal honor but as “a call to dream together of a Church that gets its hands dirty."

The 21 new cardinals to be created by Pope Francis at the Dec. 7 consistory reflect the pontiff’s vision for a missionary Church that reaches out to the world’s peripheries.

Pope Francis during his general audience at St. Peter’s Square on Wednesday said all evangelizing activity depends on the Holy Spirit and not on “pastoral initiatives promoted by us.”

Pope Francis was handed the key to a new Mercedes-Benz “popemobile” on Wednesday by the CEO of the German luxury car brand.

Pope Francis received the prime minister of Hungary, Viktor Orbán, at the Vatican on Wednesday.

Catholics exiled from Nicaragua are expressing their gratitude for the recent letter of encouragement Pope Francis sent to the persecuted Church in the Central American country. 

For the Jubilee, on the evening Dec. 2, the rite of “recognitio” (Latin for “verification”) took place in St. Peter’s Basilica.

COMMENTARY: Cardinal Ayuso was not a well-known figure, even in Rome. But he was at the center of an important story for nearly 20 years.

In honor of “Martyrs' Day" at the Venerable English College, EWTN Vatican Bureau Chief Andreas Thonhauser interviewed the College’s Rector, Father Stephen Wang.

Pope Francis has written to Nicaraguan Catholics, offering prayers and invoking the Virgin’s consolation amid persecution under President Ortega and Vice President Murillo.

The Vatican has suppressed the Carmelite Monastery of the Most Holy Trinity in Arlington, Texas, following a long-running controversy that began with a diocesan investigation into allegations that the prioress had broken her vow of chastity.