He made the remarks a day after the start of the Roman Catholic Church’s Holy Year, known as a Jubilee, which takes place every quarter century. On Tuesday evening, Francis opened the Holy Door in St. Peter’s Basilica so that the first pilgrims could go through. Millions more are expected to follow over the year.

Pope Francis has opened the great Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica. The ceremony kicks off the 2025 Holy Year.

In his Angelus address on Dec. 26, Pope Francis reflected on Stephen’s last words as he was being stoned to death: “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”

Israel summoned the Vatican envoy to discuss Pope Francis' comments on Gaza airstrikes. The Pope described the airstrikes as cruel and urged for a Christmas ceasefire, which Israel criticised as ignoring Hamas' role in the conflict,

Pope Francis called for peace around the world and for global conflicts to end in his annual “Urbi et Orbi” Christmas message to the faithful.

Pope Francis opened the "Holy Door" of St Peter's Basilica on Christmas Eve on Tuesday, launching the Jubilee year of Catholic celebrations set to draw more than 30 million pilgrims to Rome.Pope Francis then presided over the Christmas Eve mass in St Peter's,

Pope Francis called for cease-fires for the conflicts in Ukraine and in the Middle East during his Christmas message in St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City.

Pope Francis inaugurated his Holy Year at Rome’s main prison on Thursday, bringing a message of hope to inmates and involving them in the Catholic Church’s once every quarter-century celebration that is expected to bring about 32 million pilgrims to Rome.

Pope Francis urged inmates to never give up hope as he inaugurated the Vatican’s Jubilee Year at the high-security Rebibbia prison on the outskirts of Rome on Thursday.

Pope Francis made a visit on Thursday to one of the largest prison complexes in Italy, opening a special "Holy Door" for the 2025 Catholic Holy Year, in what the Vatican said was the first such action by a Catholic pontiff.

Pilgrims lined up to walk through the great Holy Door at the entrance of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome as Christmas marks the start of the 2025 Holy Year celebration.