The Pope has allegedly been identified as a target by the terrorist group The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS).

This intention apparently follows the Pope’s condemnation of the terror organization’s recent actions, when they beheaded a number of Christian victims. The Pope is a known pacifist and has been outspoken regarding the treatment of Christian by jihadist militants; however, these comments have now singled him out as “the greatest exponent of the Christian religion,” and consequently a “bearer of false truth.”

Though it takes all threats against the Pope very seriously, the Vatican do not believe that the Pope is heading the list of potential ISIS targets.
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People are often surprised to find out that the Vatican owns an observatory in Tucson, Arizona. They originally had a telescope in Rome, but the growing population made the sky too bright for astronomical observations. Jesuit astronomer Guy Consolmagno says, “?The Church, in modern times, wants to show the world that it’s not afraid of science, that it supports science, that it thinks science is a wonderful thing. Not only to reassure the scientists, but also to reassure the religious people science is a good thing. Don’t listen to people who say you have to choose one or the other.”
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