Pope Francis has declared as saints 16 Carmelite martyrs executed by guillotine during the French Revolution and confirmed the martyrdom and heroic virtues of five others in a series of decrees published Dec. 18.

The upcoming celebration of the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea is a reminder to Christians that “we profess the same faith, and thus have the same responsibility of offering signs of hope that bear witness to God’s presence in the world,” Pope Francis told leaders of the World Methodist Council.

Pope Francis called on Catholics to focus their Holy Year 2025 pilgrimages on Jesus Christ, who is both the path and destination for Christian hope.

Pope Francis told young people preparing to seek employment not to accept just any kind of work, especially if it is “evil,” and not to compromise their beliefs for any reason, even for money or social status.

Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, an award-winning poet, believes art can heal people, including prisoners, and can help them find the right path forward.

On Pope Francis’ 88th birthday, two major newspapers on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean published two different excerpts from his new book on hope.

Immigrants who arrive in a new country and face obstacles and difficulty should find in the Catholic Church a welcoming home and ready assistance, Pope Francis said.

When the world of banking and finance crushes people instead of helping them, it betrays its very purpose and promotes an “uncivilized economy,” Pope Francis said.

As Pope Francis became the first pope to celebrate Mass on the French island of Corsica Dec. 15, the usual excitement of an open-air Mass with the pope was combined with the flair and pageantry of a Renaissance fair.

Pope Francis became the first leader of the Catholic Church to set foot in Corsica, the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte, praising the French island’s heritage of popular piety as a bridge between faith and secular culture.