Pope Paul VI

Pope Francis's apostolic journey to Bulgaria continues today. The head of the Roman Catholic Church arrived yesterday in Bulgaria, under the motto "Peace to the Earth" - the title of the encyclical, written in 1963 by Pope John XXIII, also known as the "Bulgarian Pope," Archbishop Angelo Roncalli.

His Holiness Pope Francis has sent his greetings to the Bulgarian people two days before his visit to the country, the government press officesaid.

From 5th to 7th May, an important and historical event will take place here - the visit of Pope Francis in Bulgaria, who was elected six years ago as a Roman pope.

Mehmet Ali Ağca, the Turk who attempted to assassinate John Paul II, was ordered out of Italy on Dec. 29, two days after he paid a surprise visit to the late pope’s tomb.

The 56-year-old former right-wing extremist had been in custody since Dec. 27, when police realized he had entered the country without the appropriate visa.

Catholic clergy gathered in central Istanbul on Nov. 24 ahead of Pope Francis’ scheduled visit to Turkey this week.

Speaking at the gathering Istanbul Latin Catholic Church Bishop Monsignor Louis Pelatre stated that the pope's Nov. 28-30 visit will only include the cities of Ankara and Istanbul and he would not be visiting Ä°zmir, as previously reported.

Turkey’s top cleric has said Islamophobia will be high on the agenda of his upcoming meeting with Pope Francis during the latter’s landmark visit to Turkey in late November.

The liturgical feasts of Saints Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II are to be observed on October 11 and October 22, respectively.

L'Osservatore Romano, the daily newspaper of Vatican City State, has published the decree signed by Cardinal Cardinal Antonio Canizares Llovera which makes the feast days official.

Pope Francis on Sunday proclaimed as saints Pope John Paul II and Pope John XXIII in an unprecedented ceremony in St. Peter's Square, Vatican City.

A Mass co-celebrated by Pope Francis and his predecessor Benedict was watched by roughly one million pilgrims at the Vatican, while millions more watched on television around the world.

Catholic archbishop sends Easter message

BELGRADE -- The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Belgrade Stanislav Hočevar on Wednesday sent his Easter greetings "to Eastern and Western Christians," Tanjug reported.