He made the remarks a day after the start of the Roman Catholic Church’s Holy Year, known as a Jubilee, which takes place every quarter century. On Tuesday evening, Francis opened the Holy Door in St. Peter’s Basilica so that the first pilgrims could go through. Millions more are expected to follow over the year.

Pilgrims lined up to walk through the great Holy Door at the entrance of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome as Christmas marks the start of the 2025 Holy Year celebration.

Opening the Holy Doors of St. Peter’s Basilica on Christmas Eve, Pope Francis inaugurates a jubilee year expected to draw 32 million visitors to Rome.

Pope Francis has issued an urgent appeal for peace during his traditional "Urbi et Orbi" address on Christmas Day, calling on "all people, all peoples and nations" to "silence the weapons and overcome divisions.

In fact, the only other Holy Door that Francis will personally open this year is located at the chapel of Rome’s Rebibbia prison, to draw attention to the need to give prisoners in particular ...

Pope Francis prayed that the Jubilee Year may become “a season of hope” and reconciliation in a world at war and suffering humanitarian crises as he opened the Holy Door in St. Peter’s Basilica on Christmas Eve.

Pope Francis has called for a “negotiation” to end the war in Ukraine in a Christmas Day message where he appealed for weapons to be laid down in global conflicts and reconciliation between enemies.

Pope Francis denounced the "extremely grave" humanitarian situation in Gaza and appealed for the freeing of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in his traditional Christmas address in Rome.

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis on Tuesday opens the 2025 Holy Year, kicking off a celebration of the Catholic Church that is expected to draw some 32 million pilgrims to Rome and test the pope's stamina and the ability of the Eternal City to welcome them.

Pope Francis kicked off the 2025 Holy Year on Tuesday, inaugurating a celebration of the Catholic Church that is expected to draw some 32 million pilgrims to Rome in a test of

U.S. President Joe Biden will travel to Rome from Jan. 9 to Jan. 12 and will meet with Pope Francis and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, a White House official said on Thursday, in a trip that will take place shortly before his presidency ends.