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FAITH/STORIES

Retired Pope Benedict XVI, pictured in a 2010 file photo, celebrated his 93rd birthday April 16, 2020.

Benedict XVI is well on his 93rd birthday

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VATICAN CITY -- Retired Pope Benedict XVI "is well," although the coronavirus pandemic restrictions mean he will receive no visitors April 16, his 93rd birthday.

Medical staff, wearing protective suits and face masks, treat a patient suffering from COVID-19 in an intensive care unit of a hospital near Paris April 15, 2020. Pope Francis created a new commission that will confront the challenges the world is facing in battling the coronavirus pandemic and what it will inevitably face in its aftermath, the Vatican announced in a statement published April 15.

Pope Francis sets up coronavirus commission

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VATICAN CITY -- Pope Francis created a new commission that will confront the challenges the world is facing in battling the coronavirus pandemic and what it will inevitably face in its aftermath, the Vatican announced.

The tower of the Institute for Works of Religion, often referred to as the Vatican bank, is pictured.

Vatican names new director of its financial watchdog agency

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VATICAN CITY -- More than four months after Pope Francis named a new president for the Vatican's financial watchdog agency, the leadership roster of the agency was completed with the naming of a new director and vice director.

April 15, 2020
Pope Francis holds his weekly general audience April 15, 2020, in the papal library in the Apostolic Palace. Continuing his series of audience talks about the Eight Beatitudes, the pope focused on the seventh, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."

Pope Francis: Christ's peace is reflected in acts of love, reconciliation

VATICAN CITY -- The peace that is Christ's gift to individuals and to humanity as a whole is not some superficial sense of calm, but an active force of reconciliation that calls for cooperation and self-giving, Pope Francis said.

April 14, 2020
The Women at the Empty Tomb is depicted in this stained-glass window by artist Guido Nincheri at Notre Dame Cathedral in Ottawa, Ontario.

Pope Francis: Pandemic forces choice between common good or money

VATICAN CITY -- Celebrating Mass on Easter Monday, Pope Francis prayed that the political and economic planning for recovery after the coronavirus pandemic would be inspired by concern for the common good and not for "the god money."

Pope Francis delivers his Easter message "urbi et orbi" (to the city and the world) after celebrating Easter Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican April 12, 2020. The Mass was celebrated without the presence of the public due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Pope Francis calls for a 'contagion' of Easter hope

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VATICAN CITY -- In an Easter celebration like no other, Pope Francis prayed that Christ, "who has already defeated death and opened for us the way to eternal salvation," would "dispel the darkness of our suffering humanity and lead us into the light of his glorious day, a day that knows no end."

Pope Francis carries a candle at the start of the Easter vigil in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican April 11, 2020. The Mass was celebrated without the presence of the public due to the coronavirus crisis.

Easter proclaims the victory of life even amid pandemic, Pope Francis says at Easter Vigil

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VATICAN CITY -- In a dark and nearly empty St. Peter's Basilica, Pope Francis blessed a fire, lit the Easter candle and called Christians to keep kindling sparks of hope, knowing that Jesus has risen and death will not have the last word.

Pope Francis prays as he leads the Good Friday Liturgy of the Lord's Passion April 10, 2020, at the Altar of the Chair in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican.

On Good Friday papal preacher reminds COVID-19 not divine punishment

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VATICAN CITY -- The coronavirus is not some form of divine punishment but a tragic event that, like all suffering in one's life, is used by God to awaken humanity, said the preacher of the papal household.

Pope Francis celebrates the Mass of Lord's Supper April 9, 2020, in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican.

On Holy Thursday, Pope Francis thanks God for world's priests

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VATICAN CITY -- Unable to invite Rome's priests to mark Holy Thursday in St. Peter's Basilica, Pope Francis thanked all priests for their service and called those who died ministering to the sick and health care workers part of the community of "saints next door."

Pope Francis accepts offertory gifts from indigenous people as he celebrates the concluding Mass of the Synod of Bishops for the Amazon at the Vatican in this Oct. 27, 2019, file photo.

Pope Francis sets up commission to study women deacons

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VATICAN CITY -- Pope Francis has established a new "Study Commission on the Female Diaconate" as a follow-up to a previous group that studied the history of women deacons in the New Testament and the early Christian communities.

Pope Francis leads a prayer service in an empty St. Peter's Square at the Vatican March 27, 2020. "What we are living now is a place of 'metanoia' (conversion), and we have the chance to begin," Pope Francis said in an interview about the COVID-19 pandemic, published April 8.

Pandemic is prime time for conversion, Pope Francis says in interview

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VATICAN CITY -- The COVID-19 quarantines, lockdowns and stay-at-home orders are the perfect opportunity for conversion: for individuals, for the church and for governments, Pope Francis said in an interview.

April 6, 2020
Pope Francis holds palm fronds celebrates Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican April 5, 2020. The Mass was celebrated without the presence of the public as Italy battles the coronavirus.

Pope Francis on Palm Sunday: Life is meant to serve others

VATICAN CITY -- With a small procession down the vast and empty central nave of St. Peter's Basilica, Pope Francis began the first of a series of Holy Week liturgies celebrated without the presence of the faithful from the general public.

A man wears a protective mask during Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem's Old City March 1, 2020. With Holy Week celebrations closed to the public due to the coronavirus pandemic, Pope Francis postponed the traditional Good Friday collection for the Holy Land to September, the Vatican announced April 2.

Pope Francis moves Good Friday collection for Holy Land to September

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VATICAN CITY -- With Holy Week celebrations closed to the public due to the coronavirus pandemic, Pope Francis postponed the traditional Good Friday collection for the Holy Land to September.

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