St. Peter's Square Archives

40 years later, memories of assassination attempt on John Paul II still vivid

May 13, 2021

May 13, 1981 was a busy day – like any other – for St. John Paul II. The Institute for Marriage and Family has been established, and the pontiff had received French doctor and geneticist Jerome Lejeune.

By Paulina Guzik

By abiding in Christ, people can do good in the world, pope says

May 3, 2021

People can’t be good Christians if they do not choose to remain in Jesus, Pope Francis said.

By Carol Glatz

Jesus always loves, defends his flock, seeks out everyone, pope says

Apr 26, 2021

Jesus is the good shepherd who knows, loves and defends his sheep, embracing everyone without exception, Pope Francis said.

By Carol Glatz

Saying he missed people, pope returns to window for Sunday prayer

Apr 19, 2021

Greeting visitors in St. Peter’s Square after nearly a month of tight restrictions due to the pandemic, Pope Francis said he was happy to see people allowed to gather and be present for Sunday noonday prayer.

By Carol Glatz

Pope on Good Friday hears children tell of pandemic losses

Apr 3, 2021

Pope Francis prayed that people don’t feel lost amid the problems of the pandemic as he listened to children’s poignant accounts of sorrow and loneliness, which provided the motif for an unusual Way of the Cross torch-lit Good Friday procession in St. Peter’s Square.

By Frances D'Emilio

Papal charity to run Holy Week vaccination clinic for the poor

Mar 26, 2021

The Office of Papal Charities has purchased enough doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to offer inoculations in Rome to 1,200 of “the poorest and most marginalized people who, because of their situation, are the most exposed” to the coronavirus.

By Catholic News Service

Fight temptation with faith, prayer, penance, pope says at Angelus

Feb 22, 2021

Christians must never engage in dialogue with the devil, but instead must fight against temptations with the same spiritual weapons Jesus used in the desert, Pope Francis said.

By Junno Arocho Esteves

Pope Francis returns to St. Peter’s Square for Angelus has Rome enters ‘yellow zone’

Feb 7, 2021

Pope Francis has resumed greeting the public in St. Peter’s Square, seven weeks after he interrupted the Sunday noon ritual to discourage crowds from gathering during the COVID-19 pandemic.

By Associated Press