The pope’s letter, titled "Totum Amoris Est" ("Everything Pertains to Love"), said that the saint has much to teach the church today.

Tens of thousands of people gathered in St. Peter’s Square for the pope’s message inviting people to pay less attention to presents and more to prayer,.

Pope Francis said he wrote a resignation letter in 2013, his first year in office, to be used in case he became physically or mentally impaired and unable to fulfill the duties of the papacy.

The Vatican has had diplomatic contact with Russia regarding comments Pope Francis made about Russian minorities being responsible for the worst acts of cruelty in the country’s war on Ukraine.

In a stunning move, Cardinal Marc Ouellet, 78, has filed a lawsuit for defamation against a Canadian woman for making “unfounded accusations of alleged sexual assault” against him.

The pope started crying and had to pause for a moment after he prayed, “Immaculate Virgin, today I would have liked to bring you the thanksgiving of the Ukrainian people for the peace we have long asked the Lord for.”

As the pope’s step faltered, his cries for peace increased, although not without controversy and criticism.

Slovenian Jesuit and artist Father Marko Rupnik has been barred from hearing confessions or offering spiritual direction after complaints about his ministry.

Stopping to gaze at and perhaps pray before a Nativity scene is one of the best ways to remember the real meaning of Christmas, Pope Francis said.

Peace, unity and reconciliation also are the themes Pope Francis is expected to focus on in Congo, a nation rich in natural resources but torn apart by ongoing violence.