Pope Francis "had a tranquil night and woke shortly after 8 a.m.," the Vatican said, coming a day after he made his first public comments since being hospitalized.

Pope Francis increased his physical activity Wednesday, called the Catholic parish priest in Gaza and celebrated the start of Lent by receiving ashes on his forehead, the Vatican said.

VATICAN CITY — Thousands of people gathered in St. Peter’s Square to pray for an ailing Pope Francis, expressing sorrow for his suffering, hope for his recovery and gratitude for his efforts to steer the Catholic Church in new directions. The 88-year ...

Francis has weighed in publicly before on ethics for end-of-life medical situations, but it is unknown whether he has made known his own wishes should he face such a crossroads.

The Vatican has detailed laws and rituals to ensure the transfer ... And there are no specific norms outlining what happens to the leadership of the Catholic Church if a pope becomes totally incapacitated. As a result, even though Pope Francis remains ...

Vatican City, the world's smallest country, is known for its iconic landmarks such as St. Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican Museums, and the Pope’s residence. Housing around 800 citizens, the country is renowned for its cultural and religious treasures,

The pope, who has chronic lung disease, has been stable for two days after suffering two respiratory crises Monday.

The two-day workshop, titled “Artificial Intelligence, Justice, and Democracy,” was hosted by the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences.

The church opposes “the ideology that usually accompanies so many sex-change decisions,” which Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández said is an ideology that claims “omnipotence” and refuses to recognize the reality of one’s body as a gift.