Like keeping a bicycle upright when riding it, a balanced life of faith is possible only in motion, Pope Francis said.

In a celebration of life, peace, joy and harmony, thousands of children representing young people on every continent greeted Pope Francis during an afternoon event in the Vatican’s Paul VI hall.

Cardinal Gianfranco Ghirlanda, a top adviser to Pope Francis on matters involving canon law, denied reports the pope had asked him to draft revisions to the rules governing the preparations for electing a new pope.

With every act of charity and serving others, Christians must always try to “disappear” so that only the Lord and his love appear before the people they serve, Pope Francis said.

Christians and Jews are called to bear witness to God’s word through dialogue and “to his peace with our actions,” Pope Francis said in a message to the Conference of European Rabbis.

The wars being fought in Gaza, Ukraine and other parts of the world are destroying the future of the children who live in those nations, Pope Francis said.

The pope celebrated a memorial Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica for Pope Benedict XVI and the six cardinals and 147 bishops who died over the past year.

Pope Francis will travel to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates Dec. 1-3 to participate in the U.N. Climate Change Conference, the Vatican press office confirmed.

In an hourlong interview with Italy’s main news program, Pope Francis announced he would travel to Dubai in early December for the U.N. Climate Change Conference, COP28.

As the sun broke through the morning sky after a torrential downpour in Rome, Pope Francis was wheeled past dozens of gravestones that marked the final resting place of members of the military forces who died during and immediately after World War II.