Vatican City

Pope Leo XIV's weeklong visit to Spain includes addresses to a polarized parliament, meetings with clergy abuse survivors, and visits to Barcelona's Sagrada Familia and the Canary Islands. The trip coincides with a political crisis in Spain's ruling Socialist Party and Bad Bunny's concerts in Madrid.

Illinois State Treasurer Mike Frerichs returned $8.65 to Pope Leo XIV, a former PayPal account holder in Illinois, during a personal trip to Vatican City. The Pope, a Chicago native, received the money from Illinois' unclaimed property account, which Frerichs administers. Frerichs, who is facing Max Solomon in the general election, highlighted his office's success in returning over $2.5 billion to residents.

Illinois State Treasurer Mike Frerichs returned $8.65 to Pope Leo XIV, a Chicago native, from an unclaimed PayPal account. Frerichs delivered the money in person during a trip to Vatican City, also gifting a Lincoln coin and Chicago history book. The act is part of his campaign to raise awareness about unclaimed property returns.

Visual Journalist Zubaer Khan captured the first Chicago Sun-Times staff photo of Pope Leo XIV in Vatican City. The image was taken during a general audience event where the Pope greeted devotees via popemobile, with Khan using a 400mm lens from behind barricades to secure the shot.

Mayor Brandon Johnson met with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican to discuss federal immigration enforcement, fighting injustice, and Chicago sports. Johnson presented the Pope, a White Sox fan, with a Chicago Cubs hat and jersey, highlighting unity between the city's rival baseball teams.

Pope Leo XIV issued a manifesto calling for strict regulation of AI, emphasizing its development should prioritize the common good over profit. The encyclical 'Magnifica Humanitas' criticizes the 'culture of power' in AI, particularly in warfare, and opposes delegating lethal decisions to AI systems, creating tension with the Trump administration's deregulation efforts.

Pope Leo XIV issued a historic apology for the Vatican's role in legitimizing slavery and called for regulating artificial intelligence in his first encyclical, 'Magnifica Humanitas.' The U.S.-born pope, with a family history of both enslaved people and slave owners, acknowledged past popes' complicity in authorizing European colonial enslavement.

Pope Leo XIV released his first Encyclical Letter, 'Magnifica Humanitas,' warning about the risks of AI and unconstrained technological power. The document emphasizes the need for ethical and legal frameworks to protect human dignity amid rapid AI adoption and its societal impacts.

Pope Leo XIV warned that artificial intelligence is exacerbating global conflicts and called for a slowdown in its development during a Mass at St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. The statement was made on May 24, 2026, as part of the Solemnity of Pentecost celebrations.

Pope Leo XIV is expected to sign an encyclical titled Magnifica Humanitas, focusing on artificial intelligence's impact on human dignity and labor rights. The document will position AI as a major moral and labor challenge of the new industrial revolution. This move is seen as an attempt to modernize Catholic social teaching for the AI era.

Pope Leo's US bank was hung up on him after a prank call, key facts include the Pope's interaction with the bank and the unexpected outcome, the incident highlights the challenges of verifying identities over phone calls

Pope Leo has issued a strong plea for peace amid the ongoing US-Iran war, as reported by ABC News' Melissa Adan from Vatican City. The statement highlights the Pope's urgent call for conflict resolution in the region.