At 16:30, the Holy Father traveled by car to the headquarters of the Georgian Orthodox Patriarchate for the meeting with His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II, Catholicos Patriarch of All Georgia. Upon arrival, the Pope was welcomed by the Patriarch. After the presentation of the delegations, Pope Francis and His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II ...read more

The plane carrying the Holy Father left this morning at 9:15 am from Rome-Fiumicino Airport, and is expected to land at 15:00 local time (13:00 Brussels time) at the Tbilisi International Airport, after four hours of flight. Upon arrival Pope Francis was welcomed by the President of Georgia, Mr. Giorgi Margvelashvili and wife, as well ...read more

“Pax vobis – peace to you,” taken from chapter twenty of John’s Gospel, is the motto of Pope Francis’s apostolic visit (Sept. 30-Oct. 2) to Georgia and “You are all brothers” chapter 23 of Matthew’s Gospel is the motto for his visit in Azerbaijan. This trip represents the second phase of Francis’s trip to Caucasus, ...read more

The summer is coming to a close and the Vatican is getting back into its typical routine.   Pope Francis, unlike his predecessors, never takes much of a break during the summer, despite frequent prompts coming from his inner circles: those concerned his busy schedule will negatively affect his overall health…and theirs.  But, as Austen Ivereigh ...read more

Story and Photos by James Ramos I really couldn’t feel my legs anymore. My knees lean against the concrete bench that won’t move in front of my group, almost like a church pew kneeler. The crowd behind me presses against my back and 10 a.m., the supposed time of Pope Francis’ arrival to Philadelphia’s Cathedral ...read more

At 4:05 pm in the Aposotolic Palace of Etchmiadzin, the Holy Father Pope Francis and the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All the Armenians, His Holiness Karekin II, signed a joint declaration. Below, find the full text of the common declaration: Common Declaration of His Holiness Francis and His Holiness Karekin II at Holy Etchmiadzin, ...read more

On Sunday, June 26, 2016, the third day of his Aposotlic Visit to Armenia, Pope Francis participated in the Divine Liturgy in the Armenian Apostolic Cathedral. Following the Homily by Catholicos, the Holy Father gave the following address: Greeting of His Holiness Pope Francis at the Conclusion of the Divine Liturgy Etchmiadzin, 26 June 2016 Your ...read more

On Saturday, June 25, 2016, following the conclusion of Mass, Pope Francis attended an Ecumenical Prayer Vigil for Peace in Yerevan. Below, find the full text of his address: Venerable and Dear Brother, Supreme Patriarch-Catholicos of All Armenians, Mr President, Dear Brothers and Sisters, God’s blessing and peace be with all of you! I have greatly ...read more

On Saturday, June 25, 2016, Pope Francis continued his first Aposotlic Visit to Armenia with the celebration Holy Mass in Gyumri. Below, find the full text of his homily: “They shall build up the ancient ruins… they shall repair the ruined cities” (Is 61:4). In this place, dear brothers and sisters, we can say that ...read more

Pope Francis participated in a prayer service at the Tzitzernakaberd Memorial to the Metz Yeghern, or ‘Great Evil’, in Armenia on Saturday morning, offering an intercessory prayer and extensive silent prayer for the dead. The ecumenical prayer service, held in memory of those fallen in the massacre of Armenians under the Ottoman Empire in 1915, ...read more