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Pope

Trump poses for selfies in Miami, Florida, on October 25, 2016.

Now here’s a picture Trump probably wants to go viral

Global Politics

Awkward photos of Donald Trump on his foreign trip have inspired hilarious memes and caption contests. But why doesn’t Trump have more control over the visual record of his presidency?

Pope abortion

All priests may forgive ‘sin’ of abortion, Pope Francis says

Global Politics
A couple kiss in front of the Pantheon during a demonstration of supporters of same-sex civil union in Rome.

Protesters in Italy tell lawmakers it’s time to ‘wake up’ and recognize same-sex unions

Justice
Pope Francis visited typhoon-wracked Tacloban in the Philippines in January 2015, and said, “This country, more than many others, is likely to be seriously affected by climate change."

Pope Francis is making waves on the issue of global climate change

Environment
Pope Francis holds up a plaque with an image of Saint Theresa during a meeting with journalists on his flight from Colombo, Sri Lanka, to Manila in the Philippines on January 15, 2014.

Pope Francis says religious freedom trumps the right to free speech

Belief
Pope Francis sits next to Hindu leader Ndu-Kurukkal SivaSri T. Mahadeva during the Interreligious Encounter in Colombo, Sri Lanka on January 13, 2015.

Pope Francis shows pugnacious side: You’d better not insult my mother

Global Politics

Pope Francis addresses the Charlie Hebdo attack and freedom of expression. He also proposes a visit to the US-Mexico border in September.

Pope Francis delivers a "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and world) message from the balcony overlooking St. Peter's Square at the Vatican on Christmas Day of 2014.

Pope Francis was a huge story in 2014, but a veteran Vatican reporter says the media got a lot wrong

Belief

John Allen of the Boston Globe usually sits down at the end of the year to write something about the biggest uncovered Catholic stories from the past 12 months. But the longtime Vatican correspondent says he didn’t need to this year, thanks to a news media sensation focused on Pope Francis.

An Iraqi Christian man from Mosul, who fled from violence in northern Iraq, reads a book at the Latin Patriarchate Church in Amman, Jordan, on August 21, 2014.

On Christmas, some of the oldest Christian communities on Earth are on the run

Belief

In his annual Christmas address, Pope Francis delivered a message of solidarity for Christians in the Middle East, many of whom have been forced to flee ISIS in northern and western Iraq.

A bishop takes a picture with a tablet during the Synod on the Family. The Roman Catholic assembly has softened its traditional Catholic stance against gays, suggesting "accepting and valuing their sexual orientation."

The Catholic Church changed only its tone on gays, but that’s still a big deal

Belief

Catholic bishops meeting at the Vatican have suggested the church “welcome home” gays and lesbians. While the church leaders are not supporting same-sex marriages, the synod is striking a historically open note on gays, divorce and other culture-war issues.

Visitors to the Vatican often overlook the historical significance of the building's floors, which are frequently made from re-purposed bits of ancient history.

You’d better watch where you walk the next time you visit the Vatican

Culture

The Vatican is dense with art and history — every arch, piece of art and ceiling has a story to tell. But so do the floors, which are easy to miss. Whether paved with marble from the Coliseum or sporting mosaics from ancient villas, the floors of the Vatican have much to tell.

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Justice and Politics, Voices of Solitary, The Pope in Mexico