Pope Francis meets more than 100 comedians, including Whoopi Goldberg, Conan O'Brien

This photo taken and handout on June 14, 2024 by The Vatican Media shows Pope Francis shaking hand with US actress Whoopi Goldberg as part of an audience with comedians in The Vatican. Photos: Handout

Before flying to Italy's southern Puglia region to meet world leaders at the Group of Seven summit, Pope Francis hosted a very different audience at the Vatican on Friday celebrating the importance of humor.

The pontiff welcomed more than 100 comedians from 15 nations, including US celebrities Whoopi Goldberg, Jimmy Fallon, Chris Rock, Stephen Colbert and Conan O’Brien.