Pope Francis celebrated the first mass of 2025 for the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, where he launched a renewed appeal against abortion and euthanasia.
POPE FRANCIS
This is why I call for a firm commitment to promote respect for the dignity of human life from conception to natural death, so that each person can love his or her own life and look to the future with hope.
Moreover, every year it is tradition for the Pope to baptize the children of Vatican workers in the Sistine Chapel. This year saw 21 children baptized including the son of one of those responsible for Pope Francis' personal security.
POPE FRANCIS
We continue this ceremony of the baptism of your children... we ask the Lord that they will grow in faith a true humanity, the joy of family.
The Pope hosts an audience with world's ambassadors to the Vatican every year as well. This January his speech was read by an aide, but it had a similar message as last year: world peace. He also condemned “cancel culture.”
POPE FRANCIS
This is a mentality that, by claiming to leave behind what are considered to be “the dark pages of history”, opens the door to the “cancel culture”. It tolerates no differences and focuses on individual rights, to the detriment of duties towards others, especially the weakest and most vulnerable.
The beginning of this year also marked some historical moments of female figures in the Vatican City. Pope Francis appointed Sister Simona Brambilla as the first ever female prefect.
The Pope then confirmed that Raffaella Petrini will be the governor of the Vatican City State in March. He continues to emphasize the importance of the work of women in the curia.
Lastly, with the Jubilee being in full swing, the first event of the new year was the Jubilee of communication which saw thousands of journalists and other communication professionals.
JH
