ROME – Pope Francis will welcome comedians from all over the world next week, including top US names such as Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon and Whoopi Goldberg, for a cultural event at the Vatican aimed at forging stronger ties between the Catholic Church and the world of comedy.

Announced 8 June, the audience between the Pope and comedians will take place on 14 June, at the Vatican and is being jointly organised by the Vatican Dicastery for Culture and Education and the Dicastery for Communication “to establish a link between the Catholic Church and comic artists".