Pope Francis, Angela Merkel and the Grand Imam of Egypt's Al-Alzhar, Ahmad al-Tayyib are also expected to attend the meet scheduled on October 6 and 7...

The 84-year-old had part of his colon removed in an operation on July 4 — the first time that he has faced a health concern during his 8-year papacy...

Spokesman Matteo Bruni said he was suffering from 'symptomatic diverticular stenosis' of the colon, a condition that can cause recurrent abdominal pain, bloating...

For the first time it officially criminalises the practice of building relationships with children in order to exploit them, often used by sexual predators...

After saying Mass, Francis read his Urbi et Orbi (to the city and the world) message, in which he traditionally reviews world problems and appeals for peace...

More than 180 protesters have been killed as security forces try to crush a wave of demonstrations...

An Alitalia plane with him, his entourage, a security detail, and about 75 journalists, touched down at Baghdad International Airport slightly ahead of schedule...

He has said it would be marked on the fourth Sunday of July each year in Catholic communities around the world...

He has created a second commission of experts to study whether women could be deacons, after a first one failed to reach a consensus...

Francis is a big football fan and met Maradona, who died in November, several times after becoming pope in 2013...