Seven apostolic journeys, 11 nations visited on 4 continents, and more than 500 homilies, speeches, and addresses. Here is a look at some of the most powerful images from Pope Francis' eventful 2019. | Vatican News

178K views · 13K reactions | Pope Leo decried conditions for Palestinians in Gaza in his Christmas sermon on Thursday, in an unusually direct appeal during what is normally a solemn, spiritual service on the day Christians across the globe celebrate the birth of Jesus. | NBC News | Facebook

Pope Francis arrived in South Sudan's capital, Juba, Friday as part of his "pilgrimage of peace," which took him first to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and Rev. Iain Greenshields, moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, accompanied the pontiff in his travels. As VOA's John Tanza explains to Africa 54 host Esther Githui-Ewart, South Sudanese hope the pope and his counterparts will help jolt a peace process aimed at ending a decade of

48K views · 2.9K reactions | It’s a land torn between faith and...