Pope Francis

The Ukrainian president held talks in Rome, where he received pledges of both open-ended military and financial support as well as stronger backing for Ukraine's aim to join the European Union.

Catholic women's groups that have long criticized the Vatican for treating women as second-class citizens immediately praised the move as historic in the 2,000-year life of the church.

Catch up on key developments and the latest in-depth coverage of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Pope Francis, hospitalized recently with bronchitis, skipped the procession because of cold weather. It was the first time a pope was a no-show at the Colosseum Way of the Cross procession since 2005.

Pope Francis opened the celebration Mass in St. Peter's Square on Palm Sunday, presiding at his first ceremony after his hospital stay for bronchitis.

Pope Francis was discharged from the Rome hospital where he was treated for bronchitis, quipping to journalists before being driven away: "I'm still alive."

The pope will leave the hospital on Saturday, three days after he was hospitalized for respiratory problems. He was diagnosed with bronchitis. Francis will be present for Palm Sunday ceremonies.

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni's second statement said that hospital tests showed Francis is suffering from a respiratory infection, but they ruled out COVID.

Pope Francis celebrated Mass before tens of thousands of people, to close out an unusual mission by Christian religious leaders to nudge forward the South Sudan's recovery from civil war.