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Pope Francisi

Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in December 1936 as Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Pope Francis is pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of the Vatican City State. He was elected by a papal conclave on March 13, 2013 following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI on February 28, 2013. 

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On his elevation to cardinal, the head of the Hong Kong Catholic diocese, Stephen Chow Sau-yan, has renewed calls for peace in a divided society and pledged to reach out to mainland China.

Pope Francis has made his clearest remarks yet on gay relationships, saying they should be legally protected in the form of a civil union. While this should not be confused with recognising same-sex marriages, critics cannot deny that progress has been made.

Despite pressure from the US and criticism that the agreement has so far achieved little, any move towards what supporters hope will be an eventual reconciliation is good for both sides.

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  • Ukraine summons papal envoy after Pope Francis suggests negotiating with Russia
  • Russia’s military offensive in neighbouring Ukraine is now in its third year

Ukraine’s president and top diplomat pushed back on Pope Francis’ call for Kyiv to show ‘the courage of the white flag’ and enter negotiations with Russia.

They met as Argentina faces its worst economic crisis in decades, with inflation at more than 200 per cent and Milei in trouble after his major reform package was rejected.

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Alvarez, the bishop of Matagalpa, criticised the government’s deadly response to mass protests in 2018. He was convicted of treason and sentenced to a 26-year prison term earlier this year.

The Mystical Passion, published in 1998, has graphic descriptions of male and female sexual anatomy and desire, pornography, and the role of pleasure in God’s mystical plan.

Revellers counted down to midnight across the world where fireworks and festive lights offered a hopeful start to 2024 for some, even as the globe’s ongoing conflicts have subdued celebrations.

Francis devoted his Christmas Day blessing to a call for peace in the world, noting that the biblical story of the birth of Christ in Bethlehem sent a message of peace.

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Festivities were effectively scrapped in the occupied West Bank city of Bethlehem, revered as the birthplace of Jesus Christ. In the besieged Gaza Strip, Israeli strikes had killed at least 18 people.

Francis did not mention Israel or Gaza by name, but he made numerous references to violence and war during the mass at Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome and attended by some 6,500 people.

The nativity scene at a church in the province of Avellino features two mothers of the Baby Jesus, instead of the conventional Mary and Joseph figurines.

Since his election in 2013, Francis has tried to make the 1.3 billion-member Church more welcoming to LGBT people without changing moral doctrine on same-sex activity.

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Francis celebrated his birthday with cake during a festive audience with children on Sunday morning and there were “Happy Birthday” banners in St Peter’s Square during his weekly noon blessing.

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The US president held calls with the leaders of Canada, France, Britain, Germany and Italy, after speaking to Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday. He also spoke to Pope Francis.

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Francis made his opinion known in one answer to five questions from five conservative cardinals from Asia, Europe, Africa, the US and Latin America, including Joseph Zen, the retired archbishop of Hong Kong.

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‘Relations with China are very respectful, very. I have a great admiration for the Chinese people,’ the pope told reporters on his flight back to Rome on Monday.

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The pontiff says Mongolia’s tradition of living in harmony with nature and its creatures ‘can contribute significantly’ to efforts to protect Earth.