Overview

• At the end of the Angelus, the Pope noted he was turning 70 and thanked God, his parents and those praying for him, drawing prolonged applause in St. Peter's Square.
• President Sergio Mattarella sent formal wishes, pledged the Republic’s collaboration and expressed hope to receive the Pope soon at the Quirinale.
• Vatican and press reports say his first major document, an Apostolic Exhortation on the poor, is complete and expected around October, with initial interview excerpts rolling out through Crux.
• Coverage recaps four months of appeals for ceasefires and offers to host talks, presenting the Vatican as a venue for dialogue in conflicts including Gaza and Ukraine.
• Further initiatives are reported in planning, including a first encyclical in 2026 on artificial intelligence and possible trips under evaluation to Turkey and Lebanon, alongside gestures aimed at Church unity.