Vatican

Priests, doctors and nurses who gave their lives are our ‘next-door neighbour’ saints – Pope Francis

Pope Francis presided over the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday in St. Peter’s Basilica. He recalled how Jesus washed the feet of the Apostles and invited the…

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Turin’s Holy Shroud veneration to be broadcast live on Holy Saturday

On Saturday 11 April, there will be an extraordinary veneration of the Shroud in Turin Cathedral, which will be broadcast live on Italian television and through social media platforms. From…

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Persons infected in Vatican increase

An eighth Holy See worker has come down with the coronavirus, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni announced. He said the man had been hospitalised locally without returning to Rome. Via ANSA

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Easter lockdowns around the world

Measures ranging from the draconian to the quixotic – a French mayor has banned sitting on benches – represent a collective warning to citizens who may be tempted to take…

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Pope salutes ‘saints next door’ in fight against coronavirus

Pope Francis has admitted to moments of selfishness while living in lockdown at the Vatican, and has saluted people on the frontline of the fight against the coronavirus, including doctors and…

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A walk, a Man, Humanity … A Poem A Song – Rajt Raġel (I saw a man)

On Friday 27th March, Pope Francis meditated on the calming of the storm from the Gospel of Mark during the prayer service over which he presided on the steps of…

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Photo Story: Pope Francis celebrates Palm Sunday Mass

Pope Francis holds a palm branch as he celebrates Palm Sunday mass behind closed doors in St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican, 05 April 5, 2020, during the lockdown to stem the…

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Vatican reports 7th case of coronavirus

The Vatican on Thursday reported a fresh case of coronavirus, its seventh. The Holy See employee had already been in isolation since mid-March after his wife tested positive after working…

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Photos: Mountains light up in Poland for anniversary of the death of Pope John Paul II

The Giewont Mountain in Zakopane, in the Tatra Mountains, southern Poland, on Thursday evening, was lit up in a spectacular light show to commemorate the death of Pope John Paul…

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Pope John Paul II’s goes back to his ‘Father’s home’

Knowing that the time to go to eternity was approaching for him, in agreement with the doctors he had decided not to go to the hospital but to stay in…

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Vicar general of Diocese of Rome, first Cardinal to test positive for Coronavirus

Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, the vicar general of the Diocese of Rome, has tested positive for coronavirus. He is the first cardinal known to have the virus. The National Catholic…

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Photo Story: Italian Premier Conte meets Pope Francis

A handout picture provided by the Vatican Media shows Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte (R) speaks with Pope Francis during a meeting in library of the Apostolic Palace, in Vatican…

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Am I capable of weeping? – Pope Francis

“I am thinking of the many people who are weeping”, Pope Francis said, introducing the liturgy for the Fifth Sunday of Lent at the Casa Santa Marta chapel. People who…

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Pope Francis calls for immediate global ceasefire

In words following the recitation of the Marian Prayer on Sunday, Pope Francis highlighted an appeal launched by the Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres this week calling…

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“Why are you afraid? Have you no faith? – Pope Francis

Pope Francis held the special Urbi et Orbi on Friday from the steps of St. Peter’s Basilica. Usually a colorful event reserved only for Christmas Day and Easter Sunday, this…

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Covid-19 case at Papal residence

An Italian monsignor on duty at the Vatican Secretariat of State was found positive for coronavirus and taken to hospital. Italian news agency ANSA reports that the prelate has lived…

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Vatican newspaper succumbs to coronavirus

The Vatican daily L’Osservatore Romano suspended printing for only the third time in nearly 160 years on Wednesday due to the coronavirus. The paper, which was founded in 1861, will…

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Pope appeals for people to follow directives, calls for world prayer

Pope Francis appealed to people to heed what the authorities ask in times of coronavirus. "May the things the government ask you to do for the good of us all…

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I asked the Lord to stop the epidemic – Pope Francis

“During these difficult days we can find small, concrete gestures expressing closeness and concreteness towards the people closest to us, a caress for our grandparents, a kiss for our children,…

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Watch: Pope Francis goes on foot to San Marcello al Corso invoking the end of the Co-Vid19 pandemic

This afternoon, shortly after 16:00, Pope Francis, left the Vatican in as a private citizen and visited the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, to address a prayer to the Virgin,…

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Vatican Holy Week celebrations will take place without physical presence of faithful

The Prefecture of the Papal Household announced that Holy Week celebrations in Rome will take place without the physical presence of the faithful, in an attempt to contain the spread…

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Pope Francis thanks those guaranteeing public service at this time

Pope Francis began his Sunday morning liturgy at the Casa Santa Marta by recalling those who are sick and suffering. Then he asked us all to pray with him especially…

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Photo story: Pope Francis celebrates Mass at Santa Marta House

A handout picture provided by the Vatican Media shows Pope Francis celebrating Mass at Santa Marta House, Vatican City, 12 March 2020. Pope Francis has written an open letter, published…

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Covid-19: Pope offers prayer to Virgin Mary for protection

The Pope offered a prayer to the Virgin Mary on Wednesday afternoon, in a video message to mark the Diocese of Rome’s day of prayer and fasting for the coronavirus…

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Vatican announces stricter measures to control the spread of the covid-19 coronavirus

Pope Francis on Wednesday held his first General Audience since sweeping measures were imposed throughout Italy to contain the coronavirus epidemic. The Audience was livestreamed from the Library of the…

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Pope Francis leads weekly Angelus prayer through live-stream due to coronavirus epidemic

Tourists and Catholic faithful wearing medical face masks watch a giant screen installed at St Peter's Square, Vatican City, 08 March 2020. Pope Francis decided to lead the weekly Sunday…

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Sunday Angelus to be delivered on big screen as Vatican announces that events won’t be open for public

Vatican officials announced that major papal events typically open to the public, including the Sunday Angelus and Wednesday general audience, will be closed for at least the next week. A…

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Pope Francis accepts resignation of Cardinal Philippe Barbarin as Archbishop of Lyon

Pope Francis on Friday accepted the resignation of Cardinal Philippe Barbarin as the Archbishop of Lyon, France. Cardinal Barbarin had first submitted his resignation to Pope Francis on 18 March…

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Vatican reports first case of coronavirus in Vatican City

The Vatican said on Friday that a patient in its health services had tested positive for coronavirus. Spokesman Matteo Bruni said the discovery was made on Thursday and that outpatient…

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Pope Francis tests negative for Coronavirus – Report

Il Messaggero reports that Pope Francis has tested negative for the deadly infection, after cancelling a Lent retreat for the first time in his papacy. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said…

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Vatican opens archives of WWII Pope Pius XII

The Vatican is to open its archives on the wartime papacy of Pius XII, kept secret for decades amid accusations that he turned a blind eye to the Holocaust. Critics…

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Pope cancels participation in Lenten retreat

Pope Francis is cancelling his participation at a week-long spiritual retreat in the Roman countryside because of a cold. It is the first time in his seven-year papacy that he…

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I am saddened by the news of so many displaced people, so many men, women and children who are discarded by war – Pope Francis

Pope Francis on Sunday expressed his sorrow for the plight of refugees and migrants fleeing war and asked the faithful to pray for them. “I am saddened by the news…

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Pope cancels group meetings but resumes individual official audiences

Pope Francis, who has been suffering from what the Vatican says is a “slight indisposition,” resumed official audiences with individuals in his residence on Saturday but three with groups…

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Church’s social teaching can help AI serve the common good

In the newly emerging discipline of “the ethical development of algorithms” or more simply “algor-ethics”, a critical contribution can be made by the principles of the Church’s social teaching, namely…

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Maltese Andrew Azzopardi to Coordinate Pope Francis Child Protection Task Force

Pope Francis established a task force “in order to assist the Episcopal Conferences in the preparation and updating of guidelines for the protection of minors”. The task force itself is…

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Pope skips mass due to ‘mild ailment’

Pope Francis cancelled a scheduled appearance at mass in Rome on Thursday because of "a mild ailment", the Vatican said, the day after he appeared to be suffering a cold.…

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Pope Francis urges Catholics to spend more time in silence and in conversation with God

Pope Francis urged Catholics Wednesday to use the season of Lent to spend less time immersed in the chatter and noise of the world through television and their phones, and…

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Pope Francis in Bari to address a conference entitled ‘Mediterranean: Frontier of Peace’

Pope Francis on Sunday warned against “inequitable solutions” to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, saying they would only be a prelude to new crises, in an apparent reference to U.S. President Donald…

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Irish Catholic Church records on baptisms and other sacraments may be inspected over GDPR concerns

The State’s data watchdog in Ireland may have to inspect Catholic Church records in its investigation into whether the church is legally obliged to delete records of people seeking to…

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Blessed Devasahayam, Indian martyr cleared for sainthood

Pope Francis authorised the Congregation for the Causes of Saints to promulgate 8 decrees regarding 10 candidates, clearing two of them for sainthood. This included Indian martyr, Blessed Lazarus, called…

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Pope Francis receives Azerbaijan President Aliyev

Pope Francis, Saturday morning, received in audience in the Vatican President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, who subsequently met Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and Secretary for Relations with…

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Scene of “stolen” kiss from Pope Francis goes viral

A scene at last Wednesday’s general audience of Pope Francis held in the Paul VI has gone viral after a man in blue sweatshirt and visibly moved, managed to embrace…

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Pope Pius XII papacy will be researched as Vatican will open its archives for researchers

The Vatican archives will open its doors to researchers who will scrutinise all documentation related World War II-era Pope Pius XII. For years controversy surrounding the figure of Pope Pius…

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Photo story: Pope Francis holds his weekly general audience at the Vatican

Pope Francis (C, bottom) greets a group of women, including two nuns, during his weekly general audience at the Vatican, 19 February 2020. Photo: EPA-EFE/FABIO FRUSTACI

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Pope introduces one year missionary experience to all new Vatican diplomats

Pope Francis has introduced a year of missionary experience into the curriculum of those preparing to enter service in the Holy See's diplomatic corps. The Pope had foreseen this change…

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Through His law Jesus teaches us true freedom and responsibility – Pope Francis

Pope Francis on Sunday told the faithful that God came into the world to give us His Grace so we can do His will, and he explained that through His…

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Pope Francis rules against ordaining married men in Amazon

Pope Francis has ruled against ordaining married men in the Amazon region as a means of addressing the shortage of Catholic priests. Bishops backed the measure last year, but the…

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Official: Pope Francis to visit Malta on May 31st

Pope Francis will be visiting Malta on May 31st. The President and the Archbishop of Malta read the announcement made by the Vatican where the Pope announced that he accepted…

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Pope to visit Malta – reports

Pope Francis is expected to visit Malta. Newsbook.com.mt reports that it is reliably informed that His Holiness Pope Francis will be visiting Malta in the coming weeks. The visit will…

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Pope Francis calls for renewed educational covenant

Despite the objectives formulated by the UN and other international bodies, Pope Francis said humanity is in need of a renewed educational covenant “aimed at forming mature persons capable of…

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Allow yourselves to be moved and amazed – Pope Francis

Pope Francis began his Sunday Angelus by telling the faithful gathered in St Peter’s Square that the World Day for Consecrated Life reminds us of the “great treasure” in the…

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First new observance dedicated to the celebration, study and spreading of the Word of God

Pope Francis celebrated Holy Mass on ‘Sunday of the Word of God’ urging Christians to make room in their lives for the Sacred Scriptures. Sunday, 26 January, marks a…

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Pope Francis urges the faithful to be like the people of Malta, who in 60AD, welcomed and accepted St Paul and his companions in their moment of difficulty

Pope Francis urged men and women of goodwill to promote and practice a culture of welcome, especially towards vulnerable migrants in search of a better life. He decried recent government…

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