CNN —As world leaders gather in Italy for a summit addressing entrenched global crises, Pope Francis hosted an international gathering of a different sort on Friday to broadcast his own message – of the importance of humor. The leader of the Catholic Church hosted the equivalent of a conclave of comedians in the Vatican by inviting Whoopi Goldberg, Jimmy Fallon, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Chris Rock, Stephen Colbert, Conan O’Brien and others to the Vatican. Over 200 people were in the audience at the Apostolic Palace, with more than 100 comedians from 15 countries. You denounce abuses of power; you give voice to forgotten situations; you highlight abuses; you point out inappropriate behavior,” Pope Francis added. US President Joe Biden, a Catholic who has a warm relationship with Francis, is among the leaders expected to be present at the gathering.

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Persons: Pope Francis, Whoopi Goldberg, Jimmy Fallon, Julia Louis, Dreyfus, Chris Rock, Stephen Colbert, Conan O’Brien, Goldberg, Louis, Pope, ” –, ” Pope Francis, ”, Joe Biden, Francis, Francis ’, Tig Notaro, Jim Gaffigan, Colbert, Fallon, O’Brien, CNN’s Christiane Amanpour Organizations: CNN, Catholic Church, Catholic, Venice Biennale Locations: Italy, Ukraine, Venice, Vatican