Pope Francis sent a message of condolences to Vietnam on the passing of President Tran Dai Quang, reported the Vatican Radio on September 22.

 Pope Francis has urged the world not to ignore the plight of millions of migrants "driven from their land", during Christmas Eve Mass.

 Pope Francis has departed for Rome after drawing huge crowds in the Philippines and spreading a message of alleviating poverty.

 The washing of feet was a radical act in Jesus' time. It is no less radical in the modern era, with Pope Francis' decision to break with the long-standing papal tradition of washing only priests' feet.

 Pope Francis was on Monday set to announce the date that predecessors John Paul II and John XXIII will be made saints in a ceremony expected to draw hundreds of thousands of pilgrims.

 Pope Francis will stamp his personal touch on Easter celebrations starting by washing the feet of young prisoners on Thursday as he stresses the importance of reaching out to those in need.

 World leaders flew in for Pope Francis's inauguration mass in St Peter's Square on Tuesday where Latin America's first pontiff will receive the formal symbols of papal power.

 Argentine cardinal Jorge Bergoglio's election as Pope Francis has revived a longstanding controversy over his role during the dark days of his homeland's "Dirty War".

Latin America's first pope -- Jorge Mario Bergoglio -- will be known as Francis, rather than Francis I, until such time as a future pope chooses the same name.