Pope Francis on Thursday (January 9) urged the United States and Iran to avoid escalation and pursue "dialogue and self-restraint" to avert a wider conflict in the Middle East.

Pope appeals to U.S. and Iran to pursue dialogue, self-restraint

After last month's incident, wherein a disgruntled <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pope-francis-apologises-for-slapping-devotee-after-being-pulled-abruptly-271435">Pope slapped a woman's hand</a> on being abruptly pulled towards her, Pope Francis on Wednesday cheerfully agreed to a nun's request for a kiss... but on a condition.&nbsp;

While the pontiff was walking into the large hall at the start of his weekly audience at the Vatican, a nun shouted in Italian and asked him for a kiss. Pope Francis looked at her and said that she will get a kiss if she doesn't bite. &nbsp;

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Francis then joked, "Stay calm! I will give you a kiss but you stay calm. Don't bite!" news agency Reuters reported.&nbsp;

The nun received a kiss from the pontiff on her right cheek to which she responded saying "Grazie, Papa".&nbsp;

Watch: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-pope-francis-gets-pulled-by-woman-frees-himself-from-her-grasp-271404">Furious Pope Francis frees himself from woman's grasp after being pulled abruptly</a>

Last week Pope Francis made headlines after he was caught on camera pulling away from a woman and slapping her hand at St Peter's Square.

While walking through St Peter's Square in the Vatican City, Pope met and greeted people and pilgrims on the sideways when he was abruptly pulled by a woman.

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In the video, the woman could be seen making the sign of the cross as the Pope approached. She abruptly grabbed his hand and pulled him towards her, causing him pain.&nbsp;

A visibly disgruntled Pope slapped the woman's hand to free himself from her grasp and pulled away while exhibiting pain and annoyance.&nbsp;

<img alt="Pope Francis" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="992321f0-b754-4815-a332-9cb5a178ea0a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2818%29_0.jpg" />

The incident took place when Pope Francis was out to meet and greet people at a New Year's Eve gathering at St Peter's Square. &nbsp;

The pontiff then issued a statement of apology saying that he apologises for the "bad example".

After last month's incident, wherein a disgruntled Pope slapped a woman's hand on being abruptly pulled towards her, Pope Francis on Wednesday cheerfully agreed to a nun's request for a kiss.

After last month's incident, wherein a disgruntled Pope slapped a woman's hand on being abruptly pulled towards her, Pope Francis on Wednesday cheerfully agreed to a nun's request for a kiss... but on a condition. While the pontiff was walking into the large hall at the start of his weekly audience at the Vatican, a nun shouted in Italian and asked him for a kiss. Pope Francis looked at her and said that she will get a kiss if she doesn't bite. Francis then joked, "Stay calm! I will give you a kiss but you stay calm. Don't bite!" news agency Reuters reported. The nun received a kiss from the pontiff on her right cheek to which she responded saying "Grazie, Papa". Watch: Furious Pope Francis frees himself from woman's grasp after being pulled abruptly Last week Pope Francis made headlines after he was caught on camera pulling away from a woman and slapping her hand at St Peter's Square. While walking through St Peter's Square in the Vatican City, Pope met and greeted people and pilgrims on the sideways when he was abruptly pulled by a woman. × In the video, the woman could be seen making the sign of the cross as the Pope approached. She abruptly grabbed his hand and pulled him towards her, causing him pain. A visibly disgruntled Pope slapped the woman's hand to free himself from her grasp and pulled away while exhibiting pain and annoyance. The incident took place when Pope Francis was out to meet and greet people at a New Year's Eve gathering at St Peter's Square. The pontiff then issued a statement of apology saying that he apologises for the "bad example".

'Don't bite,' says Pope Francis after agreeing to kiss a nun

Pope Francis turned 83 on Tuesday (December 17) but he celebrated his birthday five days later with a group of sick children from the "Santa Marta" Paediatric Dispensary.

Pope celebrates birthday with sick children

Reports Show That Only A Tiny Fraction Of Donations Made To The Vatican Church Actually Reaches The Poor?

Gravitas: Is Vatican diverting (misusing) funds meant for the poor?

The Vatican spoke out on Wednesday against the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-policy-shift-united-states-backs-israeli-settlements-on-west-bank-263029">United States' decision </a>to no longer consider Israeli settlements illegal, joining stiff international criticism of the policy reversal.

Without naming the US, the Holy See said in a statement that "recent decisions ... risk undermining further the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and the already fragile regional stability."

"The Holy See reiterates its position of a two-state solution for two peoples, as the only way to reach a complete solution to this age-old conflict," the Vatican said.&nbsp;

On Monday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that the Israeli settlements were "not, per se, inconsistent with international law," breaking with UN Security Council resolutions declaring the settlements to be illegal as they are built on occupied Palestinian land.&nbsp;

The policy shift puts the US at odds with virtually the whole of the rest of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-faces-palestinian-international-criticism-of-israel-settlement-move-263219">international community</a>, and criticism came on Tuesday from the European Union, the United Nations and the Arab League. &nbsp;

Courts in Israel have declared most major settlements legal.&nbsp;

More than 600,000 Israelis live in settlements in east Jerusalem and the West Bank, alongside more than three million Palestinians. The settlements remain one of the thorniest issues in the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict.&nbsp;

The Holy See said it supported Israel's right to live in peace and security within the borders that are recognised by the international community and supported "the same right that belongs to the Palestinian people, which must be recognised, respected and implemented."

Israel has welcomed the US decision, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying he was "very moved" by Pompeo's announcement.

US President Donald Trump's administration had "corrected a historic injustice and lined up with truth and justice," Netanyahu said.

Pope Francis, who arrived on Wednesday in Thailand ahead of a visit to Japan, has not himself directly addressed the issue.

The Vatican spoke out on Wednesday against the United States' decision to no longer consider Israeli settlements illegal, joining stiff international criticism of the policy reversal.

The Vatican spoke out on Wednesday against the United States' decision to no longer consider Israeli settlements illegal, joining stiff international criticism of the policy reversal. Without naming the US, the Holy See said in a statement that "recent decisions ... risk undermining further the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and the already fragile regional stability." "The Holy See reiterates its position of a two-state solution for two peoples, as the only way to reach a complete solution to this age-old conflict," the Vatican said. On Monday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that the Israeli settlements were "not, per se, inconsistent with international law," breaking with UN Security Council resolutions declaring the settlements to be illegal as they are built on occupied Palestinian land. The policy shift puts the US at odds with virtually the whole of the rest of the international community, and criticism came on Tuesday from the European Union, the United Nations and the Arab League. Courts in Israel have declared most major settlements legal. More than 600,000 Israelis live in settlements in east Jerusalem and the West Bank, alongside more than three million Palestinians. The settlements remain one of the thorniest issues in the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Holy See said it supported Israel's right to live in peace and security within the borders that are recognised by the international community and supported "the same right that belongs to the Palestinian people, which must be recognised, respected and implemented." Israel has welcomed the US decision, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying he was "very moved" by Pompeo's announcement. US President Donald Trump's administration had "corrected a historic injustice and lined up with truth and justice," Netanyahu said. Pope Francis, who arrived on Wednesday in Thailand ahead of a visit to Japan, has not himself directly addressed the issue.

Vatican criticises US policy shift on Israeli settlements

Pope Francis on Sunday (October 6) appealed to conservatives not to be obsessed with the status quo as he opened an assembly of bishops to discuss the future of the Roman Catholic Church in the Amazon, including the possibility of introducing married priests.

Pope opens synod, urges conservatives to be open to changes in Church

Former Vatican Treasurer Cardinal George Pell has returned to prison after he lost an appeal against his conviction for sexual abuse. Watch full video to know more.

Former Vatican Treasurer Cardinal George Pell sent back to prison

Migrants are human beings who symbolise all those rejected by globalisation, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pope-francis-urges-libya-peace-return-of-refugees-to-syria-212319">Pope Francis</a> told a special mass on Monday, saying "the weakest and most vulnerable must be helped".

"These least ones are abandoned and cheated into dying in the desert," the pope told the mass to mark the sixth anniversary of the pope's visit to Lampedusa, where many asylum seekers arrive after a perilous sea journey from Libya.

"These least ones are tortured, abused and violated in detention camps, these least ones face the waves of an unforgiving sea," the pope told the mass, attended by 250 people including migrants, asylum seekers, and rescue workers.

Italy has in recent weeks been trying to keep its ports closed to charity ships which have rescued migrants from the Mediterranean, usually shipwrecked after leaving war-torn and lawless Libya.

"They are persons, these are not merely social or migrant issues!" the pope said.

Italy's far-right Interior Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/migrant-rescue-sailboat-defies-italys-salvini-docks-in-italy-233653">Matteo Salvini</a> has regularly used social media to attack migrants and the NGOs that help them.

"Migrants are first of all human persons, and... they are the symbol of all those rejected by today’s globalised society," the pope said.

Francis travelled to Lampedusa in July 2013, four months after he was elected but before the 2013-2017 wave of migrant arrivals and shipwrecks, condemning "the globalisation of indifference" towards migrants.

Since then, the pope has repeatedly called for the welcoming of migrants fleeing war or poverty.

Unfortunately, he said, the outskirts of Italian cities were "densely populated with persons who have been thrown away, marginalised, oppressed, discriminated against, abused, exploited, abandoned, poor and suffering".

Migrants are human beings who symbolise all those rejected by globalisation, Pope Francis told a special mass on Monday, saying "the weakest and most vulnerable must be helped".

Migrants are human beings who symbolise all those rejected by globalisation, Pope Francis told a special mass on Monday, saying "the weakest and most vulnerable must be helped". "These least ones are abandoned and cheated into dying in the desert," the pope told the mass to mark the sixth anniversary of the pope's visit to Lampedusa, where many asylum seekers arrive after a perilous sea journey from Libya. "These least ones are tortured, abused and violated in detention camps, these least ones face the waves of an unforgiving sea," the pope told the mass, attended by 250 people including migrants, asylum seekers, and rescue workers. Italy has in recent weeks been trying to keep its ports closed to charity ships which have rescued migrants from the Mediterranean, usually shipwrecked after leaving war-torn and lawless Libya. "They are persons, these are not merely social or migrant issues!" the pope said. Italy's far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini has regularly used social media to attack migrants and the NGOs that help them. "Migrants are first of all human persons, and... they are the symbol of all those rejected by today’s globalised society," the pope said. Francis travelled to Lampedusa in July 2013, four months after he was elected but before the 2013-2017 wave of migrant arrivals and shipwrecks, condemning "the globalisation of indifference" towards migrants. Since then, the pope has repeatedly called for the welcoming of migrants fleeing war or poverty. Unfortunately, he said, the outskirts of Italian cities were "densely populated with persons who have been thrown away, marginalised, oppressed, discriminated against, abused, exploited, abandoned, poor and suffering".

Pope Francis says migrants symbol of 'all who are rejected by globalisation'

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pope-francis-says-church-hasnt-known-how-to-listen-193036">Pope Francis</a> on Thursday told his ambassadors around the world, some of whom have been involved in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/priests-bishops-sexually-abused-nuns-pope-francis-admits-publicly-195459">sexual and financial scandals</a>, to live humble, exemplary lives and be closer to the poor than to the elite.

In a document handed to more than 100 ambassadors in Rome for meetings with top Vatican officials, Francis told the envoys that they-they had to "live for the things of God and not for those of the world".

The Vatican is a sovereign state as well as the headquarters of the 1.3-billion-member Roman Catholic Church, and it has diplomatic relations with more than 180 countries. Its ambassadors, known as nuncios, are often the highest ranking and most visible diplomats in a given country.

In recent years, some nuncios or other Vatican diplomats have been mired in scandal.

The nuncio in France, Archbishop Luigi Ventura, is under investigation in Paris over <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/church-should-admit-history-of-abuse-of-women-male-domination-pope-francis-207525">accusations of sexual molestation</a>.

In 2013, Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski, the ambassador in the Dominican Republic, was charged with paying boys for sex. He was recalled, kept in detention in the Vatican and dismissed from the priesthood, but died in 2015 before his trial.

Last year, a Vatican court sentenced an Italian priest, Carlo Alberto Capella, to five years in jail for possessing child pornography while he was a diplomat in Washington.

"A man of God does not deceive or defraud others, does not give in to gossip or bad-mouthing others. He conserves a pure mind and heart, not allowing his eyes and ears to be contaminated by the filth of the world," the pope said.

Nuncios who "go off the rails damage even the Church," he told them.

Some Vatican ambassadors have also come under fire for lavish lifestyles.

"It is ugly to see a nuncio looking for luxury, for designer clothes, in the midst of people who are deprived of life's necessities," Francis said.

He instructed them to reject gifts by the powerful who wanted to influence them and to spend time with the poor and others on the margins of society.

As the Church under Francis has become more polarised, some nuncios have taken to social media to criticise directly some of the pope's decisions or draw attention to criticism by conservative groups.

Francis pointedly told the envoys that it was incompatible with their role to "criticise the pope behind his back".

Pope Francis on Thursday told his ambassadors around the world, some of whom have been involved in sexual and financial scandals, to live humble, exemplary lives and be closer to the poor than to the elite.

Pope Francis on Thursday told his ambassadors around the world, some of whom have been involved in sexual and financial scandals, to live humble, exemplary lives and be closer to the poor than to the elite. In a document handed to more than 100 ambassadors in Rome for meetings with top Vatican officials, Francis told the envoys that they-they had to "live for the things of God and not for those of the world". The Vatican is a sovereign state as well as the headquarters of the 1.3-billion-member Roman Catholic Church, and it has diplomatic relations with more than 180 countries. Its ambassadors, known as nuncios, are often the highest ranking and most visible diplomats in a given country. In recent years, some nuncios or other Vatican diplomats have been mired in scandal. The nuncio in France, Archbishop Luigi Ventura, is under investigation in Paris over accusations of sexual molestation. In 2013, Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski, the ambassador in the Dominican Republic, was charged with paying boys for sex. He was recalled, kept in detention in the Vatican and dismissed from the priesthood, but died in 2015 before his trial. Last year, a Vatican court sentenced an Italian priest, Carlo Alberto Capella, to five years in jail for possessing child pornography while he was a diplomat in Washington. "A man of God does not deceive or defraud others, does not give in to gossip or bad-mouthing others. He conserves a pure mind and heart, not allowing his eyes and ears to be contaminated by the filth of the world," the pope said. Nuncios who "go off the rails damage even the Church," he told them. Some Vatican ambassadors have also come under fire for lavish lifestyles. "It is ugly to see a nuncio looking for luxury, for designer clothes, in the midst of people who are deprived of life's necessities," Francis said. He instructed them to reject gifts by the powerful who wanted to influence them and to spend time with the poor and others on the margins of society. As the Church under Francis has become more polarised, some nuncios have taken to social media to criticise directly some of the pope's decisions or draw attention to criticism by conservative groups. Francis pointedly told the envoys that it was incompatible with their role to "criticise the pope behind his back".

After scandals, Pope orders his diplomats to toe the line

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pope-francis-urges-libya-peace-return-of-refugees-to-syria-212319">Pope Francis</a> said Monday he wants to visit Iraq as early as next year in spite of the security conditions.

"An insistent thought accompanies me when I think about Iraq, where I want to go next year so that it can look to the future through peaceful and shared participation in the construction of the common good," Francis told a Vatican audience.

The pope voiced hope that Iraq "does not return to the tensions which come from the never-ending conflicts between regional powers."

Iraq has been a battleground for competing forces, including the jihadist Islamic State group, since the US-led ouster of president Saddam Hussein in 2003.

Vatican number two Cardinal Pietro Parolin warned in January that a papal trip to Iraq imposed a "minimum of conditions" that "are not currently met".

Discussing terrorism, the Vatican secretary of state said the Iraqi authorities confirmed that "the roots of this phenomenon are still present".

Francis has made boosting ties between Christianity and Islam a cornerstone of his papacy.

He has this year visited Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and Morocco.

The pope has already visited several Muslim countries, including Turkey in 2014, Azerbaijan in 2016 and Egypt in 2017.

Pope Francis moved quickly after his election in 2013 to make overtures to Jews and Muslims, inviting two old friends from Buenos Aires, a rabbi and a Muslim professor on a trip to the Middle East where he condemned religious hatred.

Pope Francis said Monday he wants to visit Iraq as early as next year in spite of the security conditions. "An insistent thought accompanies me when I think about Iraq, where I want to go next year so that it can look to the future through peaceful and shared participation in the construction of the common good," Francis told a Vatican audience.

Pope Francis said Monday he wants to visit Iraq as early as next year in spite of the security conditions. "An insistent thought accompanies me when I think about Iraq, where I want to go next year so that it can look to the future through peaceful and shared participation in the construction of the common good," Francis told a Vatican audience. The pope voiced hope that Iraq "does not return to the tensions which come from the never-ending conflicts between regional powers." Iraq has been a battleground for competing forces, including the jihadist Islamic State group, since the US-led ouster of president Saddam Hussein in 2003. Vatican number two Cardinal Pietro Parolin warned in January that a papal trip to Iraq imposed a "minimum of conditions" that "are not currently met". Discussing terrorism, the Vatican secretary of state said the Iraqi authorities confirmed that "the roots of this phenomenon are still present". Francis has made boosting ties between Christianity and Islam a cornerstone of his papacy. He has this year visited Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and Morocco. The pope has already visited several Muslim countries, including Turkey in 2014, Azerbaijan in 2016 and Egypt in 2017. Pope Francis moved quickly after his election in 2013 to make overtures to Jews and Muslims, inviting two old friends from Buenos Aires, a rabbi and a Muslim professor on a trip to the Middle East where he condemned religious hatred.

Pope Francis says wants to visit Iraq in 2020

Pope Francis on Friday (April 19) presided at a Good Friday service on the day Christian recall Jesus' death by crucifixion, and listened as a preacher denounced the widespread inequality in the world.

Papal Good Friday service draws attention to world's poor

Tens of thousands of people waved palm and olive branches in St. Peter's Square on Palm Sunday (April 14) as Pope Francis led the world's Catholics into Holy Week commemorations ahead of Easter calling for the Church to be humble.

On Palm Sunday, Pope says Church needs to be humble

The Vatican gets 720-ton sand nativity scene

Pope Francis on Wednesday condemned the &ldquo;evil&rdquo; of fake news, saying journalists and social media users should shun and unmask manipulative &ldquo;snake tactics&rdquo; that foment division to serve political and economic interests.

&ldquo;Fake news is a sign of intolerant and hypersensitive attitudes, and leads only to the spread of arrogance and hatred. That is the end result of untruth,&rdquo; Francis said in the first document by a pope on the subject.

It was issued after months of debate on how much fake news may have influenced the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign and the election of President Donald Trump.

The document, called &ldquo;The truth will set you free - Fake news and journalism for peace&rdquo;, was issued in advance of the Catholic Church&rsquo;s World Day of Social Communications on May 13.

&ldquo;Spreading fake news can serve to advance specific goals, influence political decisions, and serve economic interests,&rdquo; the pope writes, condemning the &ldquo;manipulative use of social networks&rdquo; and other forms of communication.

&ldquo;This false but believable news is &lsquo;captious&rsquo;, inasmuch as it grasps people&rsquo;s attention by appealing to stereotypes and common social prejudices, and exploiting instantaneous emotions like anxiety, contempt, anger and frustration,&rdquo; he said.

False stories spread so quickly that even authoritative denials often could not contain the damage done and many people run the risk of becoming &ldquo;unwilling accomplices in spreading biased and baseless ideas&rdquo;, he said.

He called for &ldquo;education for truth&rdquo; that would help people discern, evaluate and understand news in order to recognise the &ldquo;sly and dangerous form of seduction that worms its way into the heart with false and alluring arguments&rdquo;.

Francis compared the use of fake news to the Bible story of the devil, who, disguised as a serpent, persuaded Eve to eat the fruit of the forbidden tree. He said she was fed wrong information by Satan.

&ldquo;We need to unmask what could be called the &lsquo;snake-tactics&rsquo; used by those (purveyors of fake news) who disguise themselves in order to strike at any time and place,&rdquo; he said.

He said the role of journalists was &ldquo;not just a job, it is a mission&rdquo; and they had particular responsibility to stem fake news.

&ldquo;Amid feeding frenzies and the mad rush for a scoop, they must remember that the heart of information is not the speed with which it is reported or its audience impact, but persons,&rdquo; he said. He said journalism should be &ldquo;less concentrated on breaking news than on exploring the underlying causes of conflicts ... a journalism committed to pointing out alternatives to the escalation of shouting matches and verbal violence.&rdquo;&nbsp;

'Fake news is a sign of intolerant and hypersensitive attitudes, and leads only to the spread of arrogance and hatred. That is the end result of untruth,' Francis said in the first document by a pope on the subject.

Pope Francis on Wednesday condemned the “evil” of fake news, saying journalists and social media users should shun and unmask manipulative “snake tactics” that foment division to serve political and economic interests. “Fake news is a sign of intolerant and hypersensitive attitudes, and leads only to the spread of arrogance and hatred. That is the end result of untruth,” Francis said in the first document by a pope on the subject. It was issued after months of debate on how much fake news may have influenced the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign and the election of President Donald Trump. The document, called “The truth will set you free - Fake news and journalism for peace”, was issued in advance of the Catholic Church’s World Day of Social Communications on May 13. “Spreading fake news can serve to advance specific goals, influence political decisions, and serve economic interests,” the pope writes, condemning the “manipulative use of social networks” and other forms of communication. “This false but believable news is ‘captious’, inasmuch as it grasps people’s attention by appealing to stereotypes and common social prejudices, and exploiting instantaneous emotions like anxiety, contempt, anger and frustration,” he said. False stories spread so quickly that even authoritative denials often could not contain the damage done and many people run the risk of becoming “unwilling accomplices in spreading biased and baseless ideas”, he said. He called for “education for truth” that would help people discern, evaluate and understand news in order to recognise the “sly and dangerous form of seduction that worms its way into the heart with false and alluring arguments”. Francis compared the use of fake news to the Bible story of the devil, who, disguised as a serpent, persuaded Eve to eat the fruit of the forbidden tree. He said she was fed wrong information by Satan. “We need to unmask what could be called the ‘snake-tactics’ used by those (purveyors of fake news) who disguise themselves in order to strike at any time and place,” he said. He said the role of journalists was “not just a job, it is a mission” and they had particular responsibility to stem fake news. “Amid feeding frenzies and the mad rush for a scoop, they must remember that the heart of information is not the speed with which it is reported or its audience impact, but persons,” he said. He said journalism should be “less concentrated on breaking news than on exploring the underlying causes of conflicts ... a journalism committed to pointing out alternatives to the escalation of shouting matches and verbal violence.”

Pope condemns 'evil' of fake news and its use for political gain

A topless activist from the feminist group Femen tried to snatch the statue of the baby Jesus from the Nativity scene in St Peter&#39;s Square on Monday but was stopped by police as she grabbed it.

A Reuters photographer said the woman jumped over guard rails and rushed onto the larger-than-life Nativity scene shouting &quot;God is woman&quot;. She had the same slogan painted on her bare back.

A Vatican gendarme stopped her from taking the statue and she was detained. The incident happened about two hours before Pope Francis delivered his Christmas message to some 50,000 people in the square.

The group&#39;s website identified her as Alisa Vinogradova and called her a &quot;sextremist&quot;. It says the goal of the group, which was founded in Ukraine, is &quot;complete victory over patriarchy&quot;.

A Femen activist staged a similar action on Christmas Day 2014 but managed to take the statue out of the crib before she was arrested.

A Vatican gendarme stopped her from taking the statue and she was detained. The incident happened about two hours before Pope Francis delivered his Christmas message to some 50,000 people in the square.

A topless activist from the feminist group Femen tried to snatch the statue of the baby Jesus from the Nativity scene in St Peter's Square on Monday but was stopped by police as she grabbed it. A Reuters photographer said the woman jumped over guard rails and rushed onto the larger-than-life Nativity scene shouting "God is woman". She had the same slogan painted on her bare back. A Vatican gendarme stopped her from taking the statue and she was detained. The incident happened about two hours before Pope Francis delivered his Christmas message to some 50,000 people in the square. The group's website identified her as Alisa Vinogradova and called her a "sextremist". It says the goal of the group, which was founded in Ukraine, is "complete victory over patriarchy". A Femen activist staged a similar action on Christmas Day 2014 but managed to take the statue out of the crib before she was arrested.

Topless Femen activist tries to snatch Jesus statue from Vatican crib

Pope Francis has ordered a ban on the sale of cigarettes inside the Vatican from next year because of health concerns, a spokesman said on Thursday.

&ldquo;The motive is very simple: the Holy See cannot be cooperating with a practice that is clearly harming the health of people,&rdquo; spokesman Greg Burke said in a statement.

He cited World Health Organization (WHO) statistics that smoking causes more than seven million deaths worldwide every year.

Cigarettes have been sold at a discounted price to Vatican employees and pensioners.

Vatican employees are allowed to buy five cartons of cigarettes a month. Many Italians ask their non-smoking friends who work in the Vatican to buy cigarettes for them because they cost much less than in Italy, where they are subject to heavy taxes.

Burke acknowledged that the sale of cigarettes has been a source of revenue for the Holy See, adding, &ldquo;However, no profit can be legitimate if it is costing people their lives.&rdquo;

The spokesman said the sale of large cigars would continue at least for the time being because the smoke is not inhaled.

The Vatican, a tiny walled city-state surrounded by Rome, is one of the few states to ban smoking. Bhutan, where smoking is deemed bad for one&rsquo;s karma, banned the sale of tobacco in 2005.

'The motive is very simple: the Holy See cannot be cooperating with a practice that is clearly harming the health of people,' the pope's spokesman Greg Burke said

Pope Francis has ordered a ban on the sale of cigarettes inside the Vatican from next year because of health concerns, a spokesman said on Thursday. “The motive is very simple: the Holy See cannot be cooperating with a practice that is clearly harming the health of people,” spokesman Greg Burke said in a statement. He cited World Health Organization (WHO) statistics that smoking causes more than seven million deaths worldwide every year. Cigarettes have been sold at a discounted price to Vatican employees and pensioners. Vatican employees are allowed to buy five cartons of cigarettes a month. Many Italians ask their non-smoking friends who work in the Vatican to buy cigarettes for them because they cost much less than in Italy, where they are subject to heavy taxes. Burke acknowledged that the sale of cigarettes has been a source of revenue for the Holy See, adding, “However, no profit can be legitimate if it is costing people their lives.” The spokesman said the sale of large cigars would continue at least for the time being because the smoke is not inhaled. The Vatican, a tiny walled city-state surrounded by Rome, is one of the few states to ban smoking. Bhutan, where smoking is deemed bad for one’s karma, banned the sale of tobacco in 2005.

Holy smoke! Vatican bans sale of cigarettes

Pope Francis asked for forgiveness on Monday for the &quot;sins and failings of the Church&quot; during Rwanda&#39;s 1994 genocide, saying he hoped his apology would help heal the African state&#39;s wounds.

But Rwanda&#39;s government indicated it felt the apology did not go far enough, saying the local Church was still complicit in protecting the perpetrators of the genocide.

At a meeting with Rwandan President Paul Kagame, Pope Francis said that priests and Roman Catholic faithful had taken part in the slaughter of some 800,000 people from the ethnic Tutsi minority as well as moderates from the Hutu majority.

&quot;(The pope) implored anew God&rsquo;s forgiveness for the sins and failings of the Church and its members, among whom priests, and religious men and women who succumbed to hatred and violence,&quot; the Vatican said in a statement.

An official Rwandan statement repeated the government&#39;s long-standing accusation of Catholic complicity in the massacres.

&quot;Today, genocide denial and trivialisation continue to flourish in certain groups within the Church and genocide suspects have been shielded from justice within Catholic institutions,&quot; said a government statement.

Kagame, a Tutsi, led a rebel force to halt the slaughter in 1994 and accusations immediately surfaced that some priests and nuns had taken part in the killings.

Some of the ugliest massacres were committed in churches, missions and parishes where Tutsis who took shelter were hunted down by extremist Hutu militias.

A UN court in 2006 jailed a former Catholic priest for 15 years for ordering bulldozers to level a church, killing 2,000 people who were hiding inside.

Rwandan authorities have said other clergy implicated in the killings were allowed to start new lives in Europe and were protected by the Church.

A Rwandan military court sentenced a missing priest in absentia to life in prison on charges of rape and delivering Tutsi refugees from his church to militias who killed them.

Later arrested in France, where he was a popular priest in a rural parish, his case was eventually dropped and he was allowed to remain working at the parish. He has denied the charges.

The Catholic Church in Rwanda last year offered an apology, saying some of its members had fanned the ethnic hatred that led to the killings, but Kagame said at the time that he wanted the pope himself to say sorry.

&quot;Why doesn&#39;t he apologise like he does with other cases where more minor crimes were committed by comparison with here?,&quot; he said, referring to sexual abuse cases where the pope has regularly apologised to victims and their families.

Francis said on Monday he hoped his &quot;humble recognition of the failings of that period, which, unfortunately, disfigured the face of the Church, may contribute to a &#39;purification of memory&#39; and may promote, in hope and renewed trust, a future of peace&quot;.

(Reuters)

Rwanda's government indicated it felt the apology did not go far enough

Pope Francis asked for forgiveness on Monday for the "sins and failings of the Church" during Rwanda's 1994 genocide, saying he hoped his apology would help heal the African state's wounds. But Rwanda's government indicated it felt the apology did not go far enough, saying the local Church was still complicit in protecting the perpetrators of the genocide. At a meeting with Rwandan President Paul Kagame, Pope Francis said that priests and Roman Catholic faithful had taken part in the slaughter of some 800,000 people from the ethnic Tutsi minority as well as moderates from the Hutu majority. "(The pope) implored anew God’s forgiveness for the sins and failings of the Church and its members, among whom priests, and religious men and women who succumbed to hatred and violence," the Vatican said in a statement. An official Rwandan statement repeated the government's long-standing accusation of Catholic complicity in the massacres. "Today, genocide denial and trivialisation continue to flourish in certain groups within the Church and genocide suspects have been shielded from justice within Catholic institutions," said a government statement. Kagame, a Tutsi, led a rebel force to halt the slaughter in 1994 and accusations immediately surfaced that some priests and nuns had taken part in the killings. Some of the ugliest massacres were committed in churches, missions and parishes where Tutsis who took shelter were hunted down by extremist Hutu militias. A UN court in 2006 jailed a former Catholic priest for 15 years for ordering bulldozers to level a church, killing 2,000 people who were hiding inside. Rwandan authorities have said other clergy implicated in the killings were allowed to start new lives in Europe and were protected by the Church. A Rwandan military court sentenced a missing priest in absentia to life in prison on charges of rape and delivering Tutsi refugees from his church to militias who killed them. Later arrested in France, where he was a popular priest in a rural parish, his case was eventually dropped and he was allowed to remain working at the parish. He has denied the charges. The Catholic Church in Rwanda last year offered an apology, saying some of its members had fanned the ethnic hatred that led to the killings, but Kagame said at the time that he wanted the pope himself to say sorry. "Why doesn't he apologise like he does with other cases where more minor crimes were committed by comparison with here?," he said, referring to sexual abuse cases where the pope has regularly apologised to victims and their families. Francis said on Monday he hoped his "humble recognition of the failings of that period, which, unfortunately, disfigured the face of the Church, may contribute to a 'purification of memory' and may promote, in hope and renewed trust, a future of peace". (Reuters)

Pope asks forgiveness for 'sins and failings of the Church' during Rwanda genocide

Pope Francis&rsquo; sex abuse panel will provide training to newly appointed bishops on how to deal with child abuse. 
 
Francis set up the panel to root out sexual molestation by priests. 
 
The move, announced on Monday, is a big step for the panel, made up of clerics and lay people, including women, mostly with little previous Vatican experience, that has struggled to be fully accepted within the Church&#39;s power structure. 
 
The decision to draw on the expertise of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors comes after a French monsignor who taught so-called &quot;baby bishops&quot; courses for new Church leaders, caused an uproar by telling them they did not necessarily have to report abuse to civil authorities. 
 
Cardinal Sean O&#39;Malley of Boston, the president of the commission, later rebuked monsignor Tony Anatrella. He said bishops had &quot;a moral and ethical responsibility&quot; to do so. 
 
The worldwide sex abuse scandal first came to light in Boston in 2001 when it was revealed that predatory priests were shunted from parish to parish instead of being defrocked and handed over to the police. 
 
Francis has compared the abuse of children by priests to devil worship and vowed a &quot;zero tolerance&quot; approach, setting up the commission in 2014, a year after taking office, to advise him on how to root out sexual abuse within the Church. 
 
But the slow pace of change in the Vatican has not received a positive response from some of the commission members.&nbsp; 
 
To add to that, a British member who went public with his criticisms was put on leave of absence after the panel passed a no-confidence motion in him. 
 
Peter Saunders, head of Britain&#39;s National Association for People Abused in Childhood, who was abused by two priests as a child, called for the commission to go beyond its advisory mandate and speak out on specific cases. 
 
The commission has decided it will participate in two courses in the Vatican for new bishops, including the one that the French monsignor Anatrella spoke to last year. 
 
(WION with inputs from Reuters)

The move is a big step for the panel, made up of lay people, that has struggled to be fully accepted within the Church's power structure

Pope Francis’ sex abuse panel will provide training to newly appointed bishops on how to deal with child abuse. Francis set up the panel to root out sexual molestation by priests. The move, announced on Monday, is a big step for the panel, made up of clerics and lay people, including women, mostly with little previous Vatican experience, that has struggled to be fully accepted within the Church's power structure. The decision to draw on the expertise of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors comes after a French monsignor who taught so-called "baby bishops" courses for new Church leaders, caused an uproar by telling them they did not necessarily have to report abuse to civil authorities. Cardinal Sean O'Malley of Boston, the president of the commission, later rebuked monsignor Tony Anatrella. He said bishops had "a moral and ethical responsibility" to do so. The worldwide sex abuse scandal first came to light in Boston in 2001 when it was revealed that predatory priests were shunted from parish to parish instead of being defrocked and handed over to the police. Francis has compared the abuse of children by priests to devil worship and vowed a "zero tolerance" approach, setting up the commission in 2014, a year after taking office, to advise him on how to root out sexual abuse within the Church. But the slow pace of change in the Vatican has not received a positive response from some of the commission members. To add to that, a British member who went public with his criticisms was put on leave of absence after the panel passed a no-confidence motion in him. Peter Saunders, head of Britain's National Association for People Abused in Childhood, who was abused by two priests as a child, called for the commission to go beyond its advisory mandate and speak out on specific cases. The commission has decided it will participate in two courses in the Vatican for new bishops, including the one that the French monsignor Anatrella spoke to last year. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Pope's sex abuse panel to help new bishops improve child protection

Nobel peace laureate Mother Teresa, the celebrated nun, has been proclaimed a saint of the Roman Catholic Church today. 
 
Tens of thousands of people gathered to attend a service led by Pope Francis in St Peter&#39;s Square at the Vatican to honour the nun, also known as the &#39;Saint of the Gutters&#39;, who worked with the poorest of the poor in eastern Indian city of Kolkata for about four decades.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;For the honour of the Blessed Trinity... we declare and define Blessed&nbsp;Teresa&nbsp;of Calcutta (Kolkata) to be a Saint and we enroll her among the Saints, decreeing that she is to be venerated as such by the whole Church,&quot; Pope Francis said in Lation as he&nbsp;declared the revered nun a&nbsp;a saint.&nbsp; 
 
From India, a 12-member central delegation led by Indian external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and two state government-level delegations from northern Delhi and eastern state of West Bengal, led by chief ministers Arvind Kejriwal and Mamata Banerjee, respectively, are attending the function. 
 
The sainthood ceremony, for which the Vatican could easily have issued twice as many tickets, comes one day short of the 19th anniversary of Teresa&#39;s death, at 87, in the Indian city where she spent her adult life, first teaching, then tending to the dying poor. 
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&#39;Pope had no doubt about her eligibility for sainthood&#39; 
 
Mother Teresa&#39;s legacy fits neatly with Francis&#39;s vision of a poor church that strives to serve the poor. The canonisation ceremony is the highlight of his Holy Year of Mercy which runs until November 8. 
 
However, Teresa and her Missionaries of Charity (MoC) order have been criticised both during her life and since her death in 1997, but many Catholics revere her as a model of compassion. 
 
The debate over the nun&#39;s legacy has continued after her death with researchers uncovering financial irregularities in the running of her Order and evidence mounting of patients&#39; neglect, insalubrious conditions and questionable conversions of the vulnerable in her missions. 
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Critics say she did little to alleviate the pain of the terminally ill and nothing to tackle the root causes of poverty. Atheist writer Christopher Hitchens made a documentary about her called &quot;Hell&#39;s Angel&quot;. 
 
She was also accused of trying to convert the destitute in predominantly-Hindu India to Christianity, a charge her mission has repeatedly denied. 
 
But Pope John Paul II, who met her often, had no doubt about her eligibility for sainthood, and put her on a fast track to elevation two years after her death instead of the usual five. 
 
The miracles&nbsp; 
 
By historical standards, Teresa has been fast-tracked to sainthood, thanks largely to one of the few people to have achieved canonisation faster, John Paul II. 
 
The Polish cleric was a personal friend of Teresa and as the pope at the time of her death, he was responsible for her being beatified in 2003. 
 
Achieving sainthood requires the Vatican to approve accounts of two miracles occurring as a result of prayers for Teresa&#39;s intercession. 
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The first one, ratified in 2002, was of an Indian woman, Monica Besra, who says she recovered from ovarian cancer a year after Teresa&#39;s death, something local health officials have put down to medical advances rather than the power of prayer. 
 
In the second, approved last year, Brazilian Marcilio Haddad Andrino says his wife&#39;s prayers to Teresa led to brain tumours disappearing. Eight years later, Andrino and his wife Fernanda will be in the congregation on Sunday. 
 
(WION with inputs from Reuters, AFP)&nbsp;

Teresa, also known as the 'saint of the gutters', worked with the poorest of the poor in Indian city of Kolkata for nearly four decades

Nobel peace laureate Mother Teresa, the celebrated nun, has been proclaimed a saint of the Roman Catholic Church today. Tens of thousands of people gathered to attend a service led by Pope Francis in St Peter's Square at the Vatican to honour the nun, also known as the 'Saint of the Gutters', who worked with the poorest of the poor in eastern Indian city of Kolkata for about four decades. "For the honour of the Blessed Trinity... we declare and define Blessed Teresa of Calcutta (Kolkata) to be a Saint and we enroll her among the Saints, decreeing that she is to be venerated as such by the whole Church," Pope Francis said in Lation as he declared the revered nun a a saint. From India, a 12-member central delegation led by Indian external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and two state government-level delegations from northern Delhi and eastern state of West Bengal, led by chief ministers Arvind Kejriwal and Mamata Banerjee, respectively, are attending the function. The sainthood ceremony, for which the Vatican could easily have issued twice as many tickets, comes one day short of the 19th anniversary of Teresa's death, at 87, in the Indian city where she spent her adult life, first teaching, then tending to the dying poor. The sainthood ceremony, for which the Vatican could easily have issued twice as many tickets, comes one day short of the 19th anniversary of Teresa's death. 'Pope had no doubt about her eligibility for sainthood' Mother Teresa's legacy fits neatly with Francis's vision of a poor church that strives to serve the poor. The canonisation ceremony is the highlight of his Holy Year of Mercy which runs until November 8. However, Teresa and her Missionaries of Charity (MoC) order have been criticised both during her life and since her death in 1997, but many Catholics revere her as a model of compassion. The debate over the nun's legacy has continued after her death with researchers uncovering financial irregularities in the running of her Order and evidence mounting of patients' neglect, insalubrious conditions and questionable conversions of the vulnerable in her missions. The debate over the nun's legacy has continued after her death with researchers uncovering financial irregularities in the running of her Order. Critics say she did little to alleviate the pain of the terminally ill and nothing to tackle the root causes of poverty. Atheist writer Christopher Hitchens made a documentary about her called "Hell's Angel". She was also accused of trying to convert the destitute in predominantly-Hindu India to Christianity, a charge her mission has repeatedly denied. But Pope John Paul II, who met her often, had no doubt about her eligibility for sainthood, and put her on a fast track to elevation two years after her death instead of the usual five. The miracles By historical standards, Teresa has been fast-tracked to sainthood, thanks largely to one of the few people to have achieved canonisation faster, John Paul II. The Polish cleric was a personal friend of Teresa and as the pope at the time of her death, he was responsible for her being beatified in 2003. Achieving sainthood requires the Vatican to approve accounts of two miracles occurring as a result of prayers for Teresa's intercession. Achieving sainthood requires the Vatican to approve accounts of two miracles occurring as a result of prayers for Teresa's intercession. The first one, ratified in 2002, was of an Indian woman, Monica Besra, who says she recovered from ovarian cancer a year after Teresa's death, something local health officials have put down to medical advances rather than the power of prayer. In the second, approved last year, Brazilian Marcilio Haddad Andrino says his wife's prayers to Teresa led to brain tumours disappearing. Eight years later, Andrino and his wife Fernanda will be in the congregation on Sunday. (WION with inputs from Reuters, AFP)

Nobel peace laureate Mother Teresa elevated to sainthood

The trial of five people accused of leaking or publishing confidential documents depicting a Vatican plagued by corruption and mismanagement goes to a panel of judges for verdicts today. 
 
The four non-clerical judges will retire after each defendant is allowed to make a final statement. Verdicts in the &quot;Vatileaks II&quot; trial, which started in November, are expected for this afternoon. 
 
They will end a sometimes bizarre trial whose main protagonists were public relations expert Francesca Chaouqui, who is Italian, and Spanish priest Angel Lucio Vallejo Balda. 
 
Once colleagues in a now-defunct papal reform commission investigating Vatican finances, their past relationship was at best ambiguous, and they spent most of the trial hurling insults and accusations at each other. 
 
He claimed she was an ambitious and manipulative social climber who put him under a powerful seductive spell and turned against him when she did not get a permanent position in the Vatican. 
 
She sent him text messages with insulting, unpublishable references to his alleged homosexuality. He said she led him to believe she was a spy who could reveal secrets about his personal life if she did not get a prominent Vatican job. 
 
&quot;Arrogant and insufferable&quot; 
 
Even Chaouqui&#39;s lawyer Laura Sgro, in closing arguments on Tuesday, used words including loud-mouthed, insufferable, arrogant and presumptuous to describe her client but said that this did not mean she was guilty. 
 
Chaouqui, Vallejo and his assistant Nicola Maio are accused of forming a criminal association and conspiracy to divulge private documents. Vallejo is the only non-Italian. 
 
The Vatican made it a crime to disclose official documents in 2013 after a separate leaks scandal, which the media dubbed Vatileaks and which preceded the unexpected resignation of Pope Benedict XVI. 
 
The two journalists among the five defendants - Gianluigi Nuzzi and Emiliano Fittipaldi - are accused of putting pressure on the other three to get the documents, which published in two books last year. 
 
Vallejo, citing his confused state of mind, has admitted giving Nuzzi access to password-protected documents of the now-defunct Vatican advisory commission. The other four defendants have denied wrongdoing. 
 
Prosecutors on Monday requested a sentence of three years and nine months for Chaouqui, three years and one month for Vallejo, and one year and nine months for Maio. 
 
They asked for a one-year suspended sentence for Nuzzi and for charges to be dropped against Fittipaldi for lack of sufficient evidence.&nbsp; 
 
The defence asked for full acquittal for all five.&nbsp;All the defendants face sentences of up to eight years in jail but are unlikely to serve any time if convicted, particularly if the judges agree to requests of the prosecution. 
 
Chaouqui gave birth three weeks ago and the judges - all Italian citizens - are expected to take that into consideration. 
 
The Vatican, the world&#39;s smallest state, has a two-cell jail. In line with bilateral agreements, those convicted in the Vatican can serve jail terms in Italy. 
 
But most convictions of three years or less for minor crimes in Italy are effectively suspended because of overcrowding in Italian prisons. 
 
(Reuters)

Five people face jail time for sharing confidential documents about Vatican corruption

The trial of five people accused of leaking or publishing confidential documents depicting a Vatican plagued by corruption and mismanagement goes to a panel of judges for verdicts today. The four non-clerical judges will retire after each defendant is allowed to make a final statement. Verdicts in the "Vatileaks II" trial, which started in November, are expected for this afternoon. They will end a sometimes bizarre trial whose main protagonists were public relations expert Francesca Chaouqui, who is Italian, and Spanish priest Angel Lucio Vallejo Balda. Once colleagues in a now-defunct papal reform commission investigating Vatican finances, their past relationship was at best ambiguous, and they spent most of the trial hurling insults and accusations at each other. He claimed she was an ambitious and manipulative social climber who put him under a powerful seductive spell and turned against him when she did not get a permanent position in the Vatican. She sent him text messages with insulting, unpublishable references to his alleged homosexuality. He said she led him to believe she was a spy who could reveal secrets about his personal life if she did not get a prominent Vatican job. "Arrogant and insufferable" Even Chaouqui's lawyer Laura Sgro, in closing arguments on Tuesday, used words including loud-mouthed, insufferable, arrogant and presumptuous to describe her client but said that this did not mean she was guilty. Chaouqui, Vallejo and his assistant Nicola Maio are accused of forming a criminal association and conspiracy to divulge private documents. Vallejo is the only non-Italian. The Vatican made it a crime to disclose official documents in 2013 after a separate leaks scandal, which the media dubbed Vatileaks and which preceded the unexpected resignation of Pope Benedict XVI. The two journalists among the five defendants - Gianluigi Nuzzi and Emiliano Fittipaldi - are accused of putting pressure on the other three to get the documents, which published in two books last year. Vallejo, citing his confused state of mind, has admitted giving Nuzzi access to password-protected documents of the now-defunct Vatican advisory commission. The other four defendants have denied wrongdoing. Prosecutors on Monday requested a sentence of three years and nine months for Chaouqui, three years and one month for Vallejo, and one year and nine months for Maio. They asked for a one-year suspended sentence for Nuzzi and for charges to be dropped against Fittipaldi for lack of sufficient evidence. The defence asked for full acquittal for all five. All the defendants face sentences of up to eight years in jail but are unlikely to serve any time if convicted, particularly if the judges agree to requests of the prosecution. Chaouqui gave birth three weeks ago and the judges - all Italian citizens - are expected to take that into consideration. The Vatican, the world's smallest state, has a two-cell jail. In line with bilateral agreements, those convicted in the Vatican can serve jail terms in Italy. But most convictions of three years or less for minor crimes in Italy are effectively suspended because of overcrowding in Italian prisons. (Reuters)

'Vatileaks II' trial to end today after nearly eight months

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