At the start of a trip to Democratic Republic of Congo, Pope Francis has said that Africa is not a "mine to be stripped" as he took aim at the "poison of greed" fueling conflicts on the continent.

Large crowds turned out in the Democratic Republic of Congo's for mass with Pope Francis. The pontiff is on a six-day trip to the continent.

"May he convert the hearts of those who carry out brutal atrocities, which bring shame upon all humanity," the 86-year-old said. He added that the conflict in mineral-rich eastern Congo was driven by greed, at the expense of innocent victims, and called on combatants to lay down their arms.

Pope Francis is in Africa now. The trip takes him from Democratic Republic of Congo to South Sudan. For many in the Congolese capital, meeting the Pope is historic.

A papal mass drew a crowd of over a million people to Kinshasa this week. Prayers were said for peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the power of the Catholic Church is a counterweight to the state.

From the depths of the Pacific Ocean comes an innovation in air conditioning that's good for the planet and saves money. Located just 200 metres from the ocean, the hospital in Papeete, on the French island of Tahiti, is using seawater to cool its facilities. The switch to this new system has decreased the hospital's energy consumption by 90 percent.

The leader of the Catholic Church travels to Juba along with the Archbishop of Canterbury and the moderator of the Church of Scotland. The three leaders are hoping to push for peace amid continued fighting.

Returning from Africa, Pope Francis took umbrage with those who used Pope Benedict XVI's death to attack the church. He was also joined by fellow faith leaders he traveled with in defending the gay community.

When the papal conclave elected a clergyman from Argentina as pope on March 13, 2013, the world immediately started asking questions. Ten years later, historians and theologians assess what he has achieved.

Pope Francis will stay at a hospital in Rome for several days of treatment. The Vatican has said that his infection is not COVID-19.

Pope Francis has acknowledged the many well-wishes the 86-year-old has received while he’s being treated in a Rome hospital for a respiratory infection.

After widespread concern over the pontiff's health, the Vatican said he will attend the Easter mass. Francis was hospitalized just weeks after his tenth anniversary as the head of the Catholic Church.