Pope Francis
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was head of the Catholic Church and Bishop of Rome from 2013 until 2025, when he was succeeded by Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost. He was known for peace initiatives, efforts to address reforms within the Catholic Church, and appeals on behalf of vulnerable groups.
-
Pope's envoy becomes first foreign representative to visit Ukrainian POWs in Russia since 2022
Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, Pope Leo XIV's special envoy, visited Ukrainian prisoners of war held in Russia, becoming the first foreign representative granted physical access to them since the full-scale invasion began. The visit followed an exchange on October 23 that returned 270 Ukrainian service members and civilians, while Ukrainian officials said detention conditions still fall short of the Geneva Conventions.