Pope Francis referred to the disaster during his weekly general audience Wednesday and invoked Our Lady of Guadalupe, who is revered by many Latino Catholics.

Pope Francis is praying for victims and rescuers trying to control the wildfires in California that have killed at least 11 people and destroyed thousands of homes, the Vatican said on Saturday. "His Holiness Pope Francis assures you and the community affected by this tragedy of his spiritual closeness,

One day after receiving a major American award, Pope Francis weighed in on a major American crisis, posting on X Sunday about the deadly wildfires still burning in Los Angeles County. The Catholic leader said he was praying for people in Los Angeles and expressed his support.

"I am praying for all of you," Pope Francis said, using his televised Sunday Angelus address to speak directly to the people impacted by the wildfires in Southern California.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with Pope Francis on Saturday and awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction, the nation's highest civilian honor, the White House said. It was the first time during his four years in office that Biden awarded the medal "with distinction," it said.

Joe Biden awarded a Presidential Medal of Freedom to Pope Francis, a personal marker of his Roman Catholic faith after devastating fires in California prompted the president to cancel a Vatican visit during his final days in office.

The award comes after Biden was forced to cancel a trip to the Vatican this weekend to monitor the devastating wildfires in California.

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis is praying for victims and rescuers trying to control the wildfires in California that have killed at least 11 people and destroyed thousands of homes ...

Biden, the nation's second Catholic president, spoke with the pontiff to name him a recipient of the award, the White House said.

President Joe Biden has honored Pope Francis with the Presidential Medal of Freedom with distinction. It's the highest civilian award given by the president.

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis on Thursday urged political, economic and business leaders at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos to keep close oversight of the development of artificial intelligence, warning the technology can exacerbate a growing "crisis of truth".

Pope Francis referred to the L.A. wildfires during his weekly general audience Wednesday and invoked Our Lady of Guadalupe, revered by many Latino Catholics.