A local Italian group launched an online petition urging Pope Francis, the Vatican and others to stop the “fir tree-icide” of cutting down a 200-year-old red pine to decorate St. Peter’s Square for Christmas.

Defending the dignity and sacredness of every human life requires working to create economic and social systems that promote the common good of all, Pope Francis said.

Before Pope Francis presides over Mass Nov. 17 for the World Day of the Poor, he will bless 13 keys to represent the 13 new houses he has pledged to pay for in Syria during the Holy Year 2025, the Vatican said.

Christian martyrs from across denominations hold a place of honor in the church, Pope Francis said, highlighting their examples of faith and courage that continue to inspire Christians today.

Pope Francis met with a group of Israelis and their family members who were freed after being held hostage in Gaza by Hamas and other Palestinian militants.

Efforts to slow climate change and mitigate its impact, particularly on the poor, are being thwarted by selfishness, the Vatican secretary of state told world leaders at the COP29 climate conference.

The Catholic Church needs decisive leadership in creating a safe, caring and welcoming environment for everyone, and it needs constant vigilance against complacency, said several speakers at a Vatican-sponsored safeguarding conference.

Mary is a model of the kind of openness to the Holy Spirit that all Christians should have, an openness that allowed her to say “yes” to God’s plan for the salvation of the world, Pope Francis said.

Meeting Nov. 11 with members of FADICA, a network of foundations and donors supporting Catholic activities and initiatives, the pope spoke to them about what it means for the Catholic Church to be a “‘synodal’ community.”

The Christian saints in heaven enjoy full unity and should inspire all Christians to continue to pray and work together for the unity of the churches, Pope Francis told the patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East.