Pope Francis spent the night without a breathing mask, the Vatican press office said March 18, indicating that his need for supplemental oxygen continues to diminish.

A painting of Christ being laid in the tomb, long hidden under layers of overpainting and forgotten by history, will once again be visible to the public in an upcoming exhibit at the Vatican.

People in the world of news and communications need to understand the full importance of words, Pope Francis wrote.

Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla confirmed their plans to meet at the Vatican with Pope Francis in early April in an announcement March 18.

Pope Francis has been able to spend brief moments of the day without any supplemental oxygen, which is yet another sign of the gradual improvement in his condition, the Vatican press office said.

Hundreds of pilgrims from the United States gathered for Mass at the majestic Altar of the Chair in St. Peter’s Basilica with two main intentions in mind: the health of Pope Francis and the needs of their loved ones at home.

Pope Francis has approved the next phase of the Synod of Bishops on synodality, launching a three-year implementation process that will culminate in an ecclesial assembly at the Vatican in October 2028.

The Shroud of Turin, one of Catholicism’s most valued devotional items, will be digitally showcased during the Holy Year 2025, allowing visitors to engage with the revered relic like never before.

For the first time since Pope Francis was hospitalized in mid-February, the Vatican press office released a photograph of him March 16; the image shows him concelebrating Mass that morning in the chapel of his suite of rooms at Rome’s Gemelli hospital.

After more than a month in the hospital, Pope Francis’ condition continues to be stable, the Vatican said March 15, and he gradually is “reducing the need for noninvasive mechanical ventilation at night.”