Francis was asked, "Really? Never?" And he responded, "If one carefully reads the declaration of St. John Paul, it goes in that direction, yes."

"We have lost sight of the brother who was alongside us, we have become incapable of recognizing him and of rejoicing over the gifts and grace we each have received."

"When a person who has this situation arrives before Jesus, Jesus certainly will not say, 'Go away because you are homosexual.' No."

The pope spoke at the country's only Catholic Church, the parish of the Immaculate Conception.

The patriarch welcomed the pope, saying, "May God bless our two churches."

Nuclear tests in the country stir fears about increased regional aggression.

The bishops insisted it is not proper to speak of "permission to receive the sacraments" when it is, in fact, an invitation to "a process of discernment accompanied by a priest."

Sixteen-year-old Giuseppe Chiolo had come to the Vatican by ambulance from Florence.

With age comes finding greater challenges in the Gospels, Pope Benedict XVI says.

"Practical governance was not my forte and this certainly was a weakness."