Pope Francis led his first mass in the United States Wednesday afternoon, arriving at Washington, D.C.'s Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception following a brief parade through the city. Thousands of Catholics stood on the grass of Catholic University awaiting the pope's arrival and the mass in which he canonized 18th century Franciscan theologian Junípero Serra.
Though Serra is credited with spreading Christianity in California, his canonization is considered contriversial for the treatment of Native Americans under his leadership. An estimated 25,000 people attended the mass.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
'The benefits of such a program go beyond just the data'Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
May 28 editorial cartoonsCartoons Wednesday's political cartoons include the Big Beautiful Bill's impact on Medicare and Medicaid, Donald Trump and JD Vance plotting in the Oval Office, Russia's expansionist plans, and Trump's phone call with Vladimir Putin.
-
Labubu: the 'creepy' dolls sparking brawls in the shopsIn the Spotlight Craze for the pint-sized soft toys has reached fever pitch among devotees
-
Prevost elected first US pope, becomes Leo XIVspeed read Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost is a Chicago native who spent decades living in Peru
-
Pope Francis dies at 88Speed Read 'How much contempt is stirred up at times toward the vulnerable, the marginalized and migrants,' Pope Francis wrote in his final living message
-
Pope returns to Vatican after long hospital staySpeed Read Pope Francis entered the hospital on Feb. 14 and battled double pneumonia
-
Texas megachurch founder charged with sex crimesSpeed Read Robert Morris, former spiritual adviser to President Donald Trump, is accused of sexually abusing a child
-
Pope Francis suffers setback with respiratory episodesSpeed Read The 88-year-old pope continues to battle pneumonia
-
US Christianity's long decline has halted, Pew findsSpeed Read 62% of Americans call themselves Christian, a population that has been 'relatively stable' for the past five years
-
Pope Francis hospitalized with 'complex' illnessSpeed Read The Vatican says their leader has a respiratory infection, raising new concerns about his health
-
The Aga Khan, billionaire spiritual leader, dies at 88Speed Read Prince Karim Al-Hussaini's philanthropy funded hospitals, housing and schools in some of the world's poorest places
