Pope On Islamic State

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  Pope Calls Pakistan Attack 'Hideous,' Demands Protection For Christians

  Pope Francis on Monday condemned the Easter suicide bomb by Islamist militants that killed at least 70 people in Pakistan, many of them Christians, as "hideous" and demanded that the country's authorities protect religious minorities.

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  Pope Francis Expected To Call For Reconciliation On Christmas Day

  Pope Francis was expected to appeal for reconciliation of fractured communities in his Christmas Day blessing today, as the world takes stock of a year of violence and suffering that saw hundreds of thousands flee their homes.

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  After Paris, Pope Says It Is Blasphemy to Use God's Name to Justify Violence

  After the deadly attacks in Paris claimed by Islamic State militants, Pope Francis said on Sunday that using God's name to justify violence was sacrilege.

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  Pope Francis 'Shaken' by 'Inhuman' Paris Attacks

  Pope Francis said today he was "shaken" by what he described as the "inhuman" attacks on a string of Paris venues which left at least 128 people dead.

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  Video Calls for Jihad in Balkans on Eve of Pope Francis's Visit

  Islamists claiming to be members of the Islamic State (IS) group called for jihad in the Balkans in a video widely reported Friday by local media, on the eve of a visit by Pope Francis to Sarajevo.

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  Pope Francis Pays Tribute to 'Today's Martyrs' on Palm Sunday

  Pope Francis led the world's Roman Catholics in Palm today celebrations by paying tribute to those killed for their faith, a reference to the victims of Islamic State militants.

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  In Christmas Address, Pope Francis Condemns Islamic State

  Pope Francis condemned the "brutal persecution" of minorities by Islamic State insurgents in his Christmas message on Thursday and urged people not to be indifferent to the suffering of so many around the world.

• Pope Francis Celebrates Christmas Eve Mass And Calls Iraqi Refugees

  Pope Francis celebrated Christmas Eve with a late-night Mass on Wednesday in St Peter's Basilica and a phone call to some Iraqi refugees forced to flee their homes by Islamic militants.

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  Pope Condemns 'Barbaric Violence' of Islamic State

  Pope Francis said on Friday fighting hunger and poverty, rather than military intervention alone, were key to stopping Islamist militants carrying out "barbaric violence" in Syria and Iraq.

• Pope Summons Mideast Envoys to Rome Over Islamist Advance

  Pope Francis, who has expressed alarm over the rise of Islamic State militants and the plight of Christians in the Middle East, has summoned his envoys in the region to a rare meeting to discuss a response to the crisis, the Vatican said on Tuesday.

• Pope Says Religion Can't Justify Violence

  Pope Francis warned during a visit to Albania on Sunday that religion can never be used to justify violence, making apparent reference to the bloodshed wreaked by Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria.

• Argentine President Says She Received Islamic State Threats

  Argentine President Cristina Fernandez said during a trip to the Vatican on Saturday she had received threats by the Islamic State due to her friendship with compatriot Pope Francis and for recognizing both Israel and Palestine.

• Security Upped at Vatican Over Islamic State Attack Fears: Report

  Security has been tightened in Saint Peter's Square after intelligence services intercepted a possible plan to attack the Vatican, Italian media reported on Saturday, increasing fears Pope Francis could be in danger.

• James Foley's Parents, After Call with Pope, Call for Prayer and Action

  The parents of James Foley, the American journalist killed by Islamic State militants in Iraq, on Friday called for prayer and support to free the remaining captives held by Islamic State fighters.