PHOTONEWS: Pope Francis takes three families of Syrian refugees on plane back to Italy from Greek island of Lesbos

Pope to lead Israeli-Palestinian peace prayer

Pope Francis is scheduled to host a peace prayer with the Israeli and Palestinian presidents in a move aimed at bringing the two peoples together. Francis, the head of the Catholic Church, will lead prayers on Sunday at the Vatican with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his Israeli counterpart Shimon Peres in a gesture aimed at fostering dialogue.

“This prayer meeting will not be for mediation or to find solutions. We are just meeting up to pray. Then everyone goes home,” Francis said after issuing the invitations during a pilgrimage to the Middle East last month.

Encourage ‘legitimate’ redistribution of wealth - Pope Francis tells Ban Ki-Moon

Pope Francis has called on the UN to do more to help the poor and encourage the "legitimate redistribution" of wealth.

"In the case of global political and economic organization, much more needs to be achieved, since an important part of humanity does not share in the benefits of progress and is in fact relegated to the status of second-class citizens," Francis told Ban Ki-Moon on Friday.

President Obama and Pope Francis exchange gifts (Photos)

Pope Francis and President Barack Obama smile as they exchange gifts, at the Vatican Thursday, March 27, 2014. President Barack Obama called himself a "great admirer" of Pope Francis as he sat down at the Vatican Thursday with the pontiff he considers a kindred spirit on issues of economic inequality. Their historic first meeting comes as Obama's administration and the church remain deeply split on issues of abortion and contraception. (AP Photo/Gabriel Bouys, Pool)

US President Barack Obama was once the biggest superstar on the international stage. On Thursday, he headed here to benefit from the popularity of his replacement: Pope Francis.

President Jonathan, Pope Francis brainstorm on inter-faith dialogue

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan and Pope Francis yesterday at the Vatican discussed the promotion of inter-faith dialogue in Nigeria and other parts of the world to foster greater global peace and security.

Speaking to journalists after his private meeting with Pope Francis, Jonathan described inter-faith dialogue as a cause to which the pontiff was very committed.

The president said his administration was already working in close collaboration with Cardinal John Onaiyekan who was the team leader for the effort towards strengthening inter-faith dialogue in Nigeria.

Hell Is Your Home, Pope Francis Tells Mafia

Roman Catholic Church’s Pope Francis has launched a stinging attack on the mafia, warning gangsters that they will go to hell unless they repent and stop doing evil. “Blood-stained money, blood-stained power, you can’t bring it with you to your next life. Repent,” he said.

He was speaking at a prayer vigil for relatives of those killed by the mafia. The Pope has spoken out frequently about the evils of corruption and wrote a booklet on the subject in 2005 when he was archbishop of Buenos Aires.

Pope Francis message to marks his first year in office

The Pope of  Catholic Church, Pope Francis is celebrating his first year in office. Argentinean-born pontiff is currently on a week-long spiritual retreat with cardinals and bishops in the Alban Hills near Rome.

On Thursday, while marking the first anniversary of his election, Pope through a tweeted message on his twitter account to his 12 million followers, says “Please pray for me”.