Pope Francis

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Pope Francis attends a Mass for Holy Thursday, inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Thursday, April 9, 2020. Francis celebrated the Holy Week Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, which was largely empty of faithful because of restrictions aimed at containing the spread of COVID-19. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people, but for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death. (Alessandro Di Meo/Pool Photo via AP)

Pope hails priests, health workers as ‘the saints next door’

By FRANCES D'EMILIO - Associated Press

Pope Francis celebrates Palm Sunday Mass behind closed doors in St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, Sunday, April 5, 2020, during the lockdown aimed at curbing the spread of the COVID-19 infection, caused by the novel coronavirus. (AP Photo/pool/Alberto Pizzoli)

U.S. Catholics wary of panel that will study idea of women as deacons

By Christopher Vondracek - The Washington Times

Pope Francis celebrates Palm Sunday Mass behind closed doors in St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, Sunday, April 5, 2020, during the lockdown aimed at curbing the spread of the COVID-19 infection, caused by the novel coronavirus. (AP Photo/pool/Alberto Pizzoli)

Pope Francis creates new expert commission to study women deacons

By Nicole Winfield - Associated Press

A man walks by Bernini's colonnade in St. Peter's Square during Pope Francis' weekly general audience, streamed by the Vatican television due to restrictions to contain the Covid-19 virus, at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 1, 2020. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people, but for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Palm Sunday services held without public; some on rooftops

By FRANCES D'EMILIO - Associated Press

Pope Francis celebrates Mass at his Santa Marta residence, at the Vatican, Friday, March 27, 2020. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people, but for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death. (Vatican News via AP)

Pope prays for ‘fragile’ humanity needing help in pandemic

By FRANCES D'EMILIO - Associated Press

Selfies sent by parishioners lie on the benches of the Robbiano church as Masses for the faithful have been suspended following Italy's coronavirus emergency, in Giussano, northern Italy, Sunday, March 15, 2020. For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms. For some, it can cause more severe illness, especially in older adults and people with existing health problems. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Pope goes on Roman walkabout, prays for end to pandemic

By FRANCES D'EMILIO - Associated Press

Police officers wearing masks patrol an empty St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Wednesday, March 11, 2020. Pope Francis held his weekly general audience in the privacy of his library as the Vatican implemented Italy’s drastic coronavirus lockdown measures, barring the general public from St. Peter’s Square and taking precautions to limit the spread of infections in the tiny city state.For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Virus lockdown hits Vatican as pope livestreams audience

By NICOLE WINFIELD - Associated Press

Pope Francis coughs as he recites the Angelus noon prayer from the window of his studio overlooking St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Sunday, March 1, 2020. A coughing Pope Francis told pilgrims gathered for the traditional Sunday blessing that he is canceling his participation at a week-long spiritual retreat in the Roman countryside because of a cold. It is the first time in his seven-year papacy that he has missed the spiritual exercises that he initiated early in his pontificate to mark the start of each Lenten season. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Pope Francis addresses pilgrims from window amid illness

Associated Press

In this picture taken Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2020, Pope Francis wipes his nose during the Ash Wednesday Mass opening Lent, the forty-day period of abstinence and deprivation for Christians before Holy Week and Easter, inside the Basilica of Santa Sabina in Rome. Pope Francis is sick and skipped a planned Mass with Rome clergy across town on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020, officials said. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Coughing pope cancels participating in Lenten retreat

Associated Press

FILE - In this Feb. 26, 2020 file photo, Pope Francis gives his speech during his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican. The Vatican on Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020 released a speech by Pope Francis where told the scandal-marred Legion of Christ religious order it still has a long road of reform ahead, making clear that 10 years of Vatican-mandated oversight didn’t purge it of the toxic influences of its pedophile founder. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Pope tells scandal-marred Legion they still haven’t reformed

By NICOLE WINFIELD - Associated Press

In this picture taken Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2020, Pope Francis wipes his nose during the Ash Wednesday Mass opening Lent, the forty-day period of abstinence and deprivation for Christians before Holy Week and Easter, inside the Basilica of Santa Sabina in Rome. Pope Francis is sick and skipped a planned Mass with Rome clergy across town on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020, officials said. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Pope cancels audiences for third day with apparent cold

Associated Press

In this picture taken Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2020, Pope Francis coughs inside the Basilica of Saint Anselmo prior to the start of a procession to the Basilica of Santa Sabina before the Ash Wednesday Mass opening Lent, the forty-day period of abstinence and deprivation for Christians before Holy Week and Easter, in Rome. Pope Francis is sick and skipped a planned Mass with Rome clergy across town on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020, officials said. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Pope sick a 2nd day with apparent cold, cancels audiences

Associated Press

Pope Francis wipes his nose as he celebrates the Ash Wednesday Mass opening Lent, the forty-day period of abstinence and deprivation for Christians before Holy Week and Easter, in the Santa Sabina Basilica, in Rome, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2020. Pope Francis celebrated the Ash Wednesday ritual kicking off the Catholic Church's Lenten season in traditional fashion, while other Masses in northern Italy were canceled over fears of the new coronavirus. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Pope Francis cancels visit with Rome priests for ‘slight’ illness

Associated Press

Pope Francis celebrates Mass on the occasion of the "Mediterranean sea a border of peace" conference in Bari, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2020. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Pope Francis knocks populist politics, ‘unfair’ Middle East peace plans

By Frances D'Emilio - Associated Press

Pope Francis kisses a a baby as he greets faithful in St. Nicholas Basilica, in Bari, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2020. The Pope is in Bari to preside the closing of the “Mediterranean sea a border of peace” conference. Twenty bishops from the countries overlooking the Mediterranean are attend to talk about peace and dialogue. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Pope cautions against ‘unfair’ Middle East peace plans

By FRANCES D'EMILIO - Associated Press

Pope OKs beatification for Rutilio Grande, Salvadoran martyr

By NICOLE WINFIELD - Associated Press

Pope Francis is kissed by a man during his weekly general audience, at the Pope Paul VI hall, at the Vatican, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Pope tenderly kissed on forehead by man in front-row seat

Associated Press

Abuse victims look to Vatican after UN meetings in Geneva

By JAMEY KEATEN - Associated Press

FILE - In this Sept. 22, 2019 file photo, residents gather outside the Catholic church of Novo Cruzador, Brazil, after attending a prayer led by missionary Antelmo Pereira on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019. Roman Catholic priests, on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2020, along with deacons and bishops across the Amazon voiced surprise, resignation and reluctant acceptance of Pope Francis' refusal to allow married men to be ordained priests, lamenting that their faithful will continue to be deprived of Mass and subject to competing evangelical churches that have made impressive inroads in the region. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara, File)

Amazon’s Catholics mull church future after pope’s letter

By MANUEL RUEDA, DIANE JEANTET and FRANKLIN BRICENO and GONZALO SOLANO - Associated Press

Pope Francis reads his message during the weekly general audience at the Vatican, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2020. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Pope Francis avoids question of married priests in Amazon document

By Nicole Winfield - Associated Press