Vatican

UPDATED: Faithful pay respects to former Pope Benedict in St. Peter’s

VATICAN CITY, Jan 2 (Reuters) - A steady stream of people filed into St. Peter's Basilica on Monday to pay their respects to former Pope Benedict XVI, whose body will…

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18 Catholic missionaries killed in 2022

Eighteen missionaries lost their lives violently across the world this year: twelve priests, one brother, three women religious , one seminarian, and one lay person. Nine missionaries were killed in Africa,…

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Two Popes in the Vatican – sometimes more crowd than company

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - When Pope Benedict shocked the Roman Catholic Church in 2013 by announcing he would resign instead of ruling for life, he promised to stay in the…

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Vatican in uncharted territory for former Pope Benedict’s funeral

The funeral of Benedict XVI will be held on Thursday 5 January and will be presided over by Pope Francis, the Vatican has said. The Vatican has confirmed Pope Benedict…

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Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s condition is ‘unchanged’

In a response to questions from journalists, the Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, on Friday confirmed that Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI's health condition remains stable at…

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UPDATED: Former pope Benedict is ‘very sick’, Pope Francis says

VATICAN CITY, Dec 28 (Reuters) - Former pope Benedict, 95, who in 2013 became the first pontiff in 600 years to step down, is "very sick," his successor Pope Francis…

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Pope Francis renews wish for peace in war-torn world

Addressing the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square after praying the Angelus on Monday, Pope Francis renewed his appeal for peace in the world, especially those suffering from war in…

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Pope thanks Poles for helping Ukrainians

During a general audience at the Vatican on Wednesday, Francis said: “I would like to wish all Poles a blessed Christmas. According to your tradition, during Christmas Eve, you leave…

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Pope Francis orders Parthenon marbles held by Vatican be returned to Greece

Pope Francis has decided to return to Greece three 2,500-year-old pieces of the Parthenon that have been in the papal collections of the Vatican Museums for two centuries. The Vatican…

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Vatican in crowdfunding campaign to send thermal underwear to Ukraine

VATICAN CITY, Dec 15 (Reuters) - The Vatican on Thursday launched a crowdfunding campaign to send thermal underwear to Ukraine to help residents survive the winter as they face power…

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Moscow says Vatican apologised over Pope’s comments about ‘cruel’ Russian ethnic minorities

This content was produced in Russia where the law restricts coverage of Russian military operations in Ukraine. MOSCOW, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Russia said on Thursday it had received an…

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Pope asks heads of state for ‘mercy’ for prisoners at Christmas

Pope Francis has asked for a "gesture of clemency" for prison inmates in the run-up to Christmas. In a letter addressed to all Heads of State, he invites them to…

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WATCH: Pope Francis breaks down and cries while mentioning Ukraine at public prayer

By Philip Pullella ROME (Reuters) - Pope Francis broke down and cried on Thursday as he mentioned the suffering of Ukrainians during a traditional prayer in central Rome. The pope's…

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Jovial moment in the Vatican as Oscar-winning comic Roberto Benigni meets Pope Francis

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Oscar-winning Italian comic and actor Roberto Benigni brought a bit of his trademark whacky levity to the Vatican on Wednesday, hamming it up for Pope Francis.…

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Photo story: Pope Francis receives the donors of the Christmas tree and the crib in St. Peter’s square

Pope Francis meets with the donors of the Christmas tree and Nativity scene at the Vatican, Vatican City, 03 December 2022. Pope Francis on Saturday morning received delegations from Sutrio,…

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Vatican website targeted in possible hacking activity

The Vatican said its website experienced a host of continued "anomalous" access attempts and strange activity between Wednesday and Thursday. Vatican.va, the official portal of the Vatican, was "temporarily inaccessible"…

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Russia protests Vatican’s criticism of ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine

Russia's envoy has expressed Moscow's strong dissatisfaction to the Vatican following Pope Francis' latest condemnation of the "cruelty" of Russia's actions in Ukraine, the RIA Novosti news agency reported on Tuesday. Francis…

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Top Spanish football medic to treat Pope Francis

The head of Atlético Madrid's medical team has been summoned to the Vatican to help treat Pope Francis, who is suffering from an arthritic knee. The 85-year-old Pope has cancelled…

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New Christmas tree found for Vatican

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - It could have been a not so merry Christmas for the Vatican this year. In a sign of seasonal good will, the town of Agnone in…

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Photo Story: Pope Francis marks VI World Day of the Poor

Pope Francis during a lunch with the poor on the occasion of the World Day of the Poor inside of the Paul VI Hall, Vatican City, 13 November 2022. Photo:…

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Vatican to investigate French cardinal who abused 14-year-old girl

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The Vatican will open an investigation into French Cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard, who earlier this week admitted to abusing a 14-year-old girl decades ago. Vatican spokesman Matteo…

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Ousted Vatican auditor and deputy sue Holy See for $9.25 million

VATICAN CITY, Nov 10 (Reuters) - The Vatican's first auditor general and his deputy, who were appointed in 2015 and fired two years later, are suing the Holy See for…

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Pope Francis leaves on Thursday for Bahrain

VATICAN CITY, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Pope Francis leaves on Thursday for Bahrain, a trip aimed at improving ties with the Islamic world but which could thrust him into a…

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UPDATED: Book gifted by Macron to pope was never Nazi plunder

PARIS, Oct 26 (Reuters) - A rare book gifted by French President Emmanuel Macron to Pope Francis was never plundered by the Nazis, its seller and authorities in Warsaw said…

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Vatican confirms renewal of contested accord with China on bishops’ appointments

VATICAN CITY, Oct 22 (Reuters) - The Vatican on Saturday said that it and China had renewed a secret and contested agreement on the appointment of Roman Catholic bishops in…

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New theory emerges in mysterious disappearance of Emanuela Orlandi

A teenage girl whose disappearance from the streets of Rome ranks as one of Italy’s greatest unsolved mysteries was sexually assaulted by a senior Holy See figure, it has been…

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Pope begs Putin to end ‘spiral of violence and death’, cites nuclear threat

VATICAN CITY, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Pope Francis made an impassioned appeal on Sunday to Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop "this spiral of violence and death" in Ukraine, saying…

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Vatican says Pope to visit Bahrain for conference in November

VATICAN CITY, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Pope Francis will visit predominantly Muslim Bahrain Nov. 3-6 to attend an international conference, the Vatican announced on Wednesday. The Vatican said the pope…

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Vatican sought Xi-Pope meeting in Kazakhstan, China declined – source

ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE, (Reuters) - The Vatican told China that Pope Francis was willing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping while both leaders where in the Kazakh capital but…

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Pope arrives in Kazakhstan, says ‘always ready’ for China visit

Pope Francis said on Tuesday he was willing to go to China at any time but had "no news" to offer over speculation he might meet Chinese President Xi Jinping while…

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Praying for ‘martyred Ukraine’, Pope urges halt to ‘world war’

VATICAN CITY, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Pope Francis on Wednesday called for a stop to the current "world war", calling on "everyone to be builders of peace" as he invoked…

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UPDATED: John Paul I, pope who reigned for only 33 days, moves closer to sainthood with beatification

VATICAN CITY, Sept 4 (Reuters) - Pope John Paul I, who died in 1978 after only 33 days as pontiff, moved closer to sainthood on Sunday with the Vatican still…

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Pope dissolves Knights of Malta leadership, issues new constitution

VATICAN CITY, (Reuters) - Pope Francis on Saturday dissolved the leadership of the Knights of Malta, the global Catholic religious order and humanitarian group, and installed a provisional government ahead…

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EPA’s Eye In The Sky: Saint Peter’s Basilica, The Vatican

An aerial view taken from an Italian Police's helicopter of the Saint Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. Photo: EPA-EFE/ETTORE FERRARI

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WANTED: 25 men to guard the Pope. Must be Catholic. Must be Swiss

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The world's smallest army, in the world's smallest state, is growing and looking for a few good men. The Swiss Guard, the elite and colourfully dressed…

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Vatican tries to mend Ukraine ties after Kyiv protests pope comments

VATICAN CITY, Aug 0 (Reuters) - The Vatican acted to mend strained relations with Ukraine after Pope Francis upset Kyiv by referring to Russian ultra-nationalist Darya Dugina, who was killed…

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Pope visit to Italian city spotlights need for rules on ex-pontiffs

VATICAN CITY, Aug 22 (Reuters) - Pope Francis has quashed rumours that he plans to resign anytime soon but his planned visit on Sunday to the Italian city of L'Aquila…

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Question of who might succeed Pope Francis to loom over cardinals’ gathering

VATICAN CITY, (Reuters) - Roman Catholic cardinals from around the world gather for events at the Vatican starting this weekend that could amount to a dress rehearsal for an eventual…

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UPDATED: Ukraine envoy criticises pope over comments on Russian killed by car bomb

VATICAN CITY, Aug 24 (Reuters) - Ukraine's ambassador to the Vatican on Wednesday criticised Pope Francis for referring to Darya Dugina, daughter of a prominent Russian ultra-nationalist, who was killed…

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Pope further tightens controls, centralisation of Vatican finances

Pope Francis acted to eliminate wiggle room or foot- dragging by Vatican departments in imposing tighter financial controls, setting a deadline for the closing of investment portfolios in foreign banks,…

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Pope rules against investigating Canadian cardinal over sex assault claim

Pope Francis has decided there is not sufficient evidence to open a Church investigation into Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet over allegations of sexual assault, the Vatican said in a statement.…

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Prominent Vatican cardinal named in Canada sexual assault lawsuit -filing

Vatican Cardinal Marc Ouellet is the highest-ranking clergyman accused in a court document in Canada made public as part of a class action lawsuit against the Quebec Catholic diocese alleging…

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Pope to visit Kazakhstan, may meet Russian Orthodox patriarch

Pope Francis will attend a meeting of religious leaders in Kazakhstan in September, the Vatican said on Monday, a gathering where he has said previously he hoped to meet with…

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Protest over 15th-century land grab doctrine interrupts papal Mass in Canada

(Reuters) - Indigenous activists unfurled a banner demanding Pope Francis rescind 15th-century papal edicts justifying colonialism at a Mass he presided over Thursday, thrusting the doctrine to the forefront of his apology…

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Pope: Church must take institutional blame for harm done to indigenous Canadians

LAC STE. ANNE, Alberta, (Reuters) - Pope Francis said the Roman Catholic Church should accept institutional blame for the harm done to indigenous Canadians in residential schools that tried to…

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Pope apologizes for ‘deplorable evil’ of Canadian indigenous schools

Pope Francis apologized on Monday to Canada's native people on their land for the Church's role in schools where indigenous children were abused, branding forced cultural assimilation a "deplorable evil" and…

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When Pope visits Canada, indigenous people look for healing – and action

When Pope Francis travels to Canada, indigenous leaders and residential school survivors say, they are hoping for more than an apology: They want action. Francis, who will be the first…

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Vatican puts brakes on progressive German Catholic movement

The Vatican slammed the brakes on a German progressive movement that aims to give lay Catholics a say in doctrinal matters such as homosexuality and women priests, saying this risked…

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Photo Story: Pope Francis meets Monaco’s Prince Albert and Princess Charlene

A handout picture provided by the Vatican Media shows Monaco's Prince Albert II (C) looking on as his wife, Princess Charlene of Monaco (L) shakes hands with Pope Francis (R)…

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New Vatican policy orders foreign investment accounts closed

The Vatican issued an overarching investments policy to ensure they are ethical, green, low-risk, and avoid weapons industries or health sectors involved in abortion, contraception or embryonic stem cells. The…

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Pope Francis denies he is planning to resign soon

VATICAN CITY, July 4 (Reuters) - Pope Francis has dismissed reports that he plans to resign in the near future, saying he is on track to visit Canada this month…

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Vatican takes big loss in sale of London building at heart of trial

The Vatican said it had completed the sale of the luxury London building at the centre of an ongoing corruption trial, taking an estimated hit of about 140 million euros.…

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Pope: Ukraine shopping centre bombing the latest ‘barbarous’ attack

VATICAN CITY, June 29 (Reuters) - Pope Francis on Wednesday called the bombing of a crowded shopping centre in the city of Kremenchuk the latest in string of "barbarous attacks"…

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Vatican says pro-life is not just opposing abortion

Anti-abortion activists should be concerned with other issues that can threaten life, such as easy access to guns, poverty and rising maternity mortality rates, the Vatican's editorial director said. In…

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Vatican discloses uses of pope’s fund

VATICAN CITY, June 16 (Reuters) - The Vatican, in an apparent attempt to boost the confidence of the faithful in how their charitable contributions to the pope are used, on…

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Pope raps Russian ‘cruelty’ in Ukraine but says war perhaps provoked

Pope Francis has taken a new series of swipes at Russia for its actions in Ukraine, saying its troops were brutal, cruel and ferocious, while praising "brave" Ukrainians for fighting for survival.…

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Pope postpones Africa trip due to knee problems

Trip to Congo, South Sudan put off 'until further notice' Pope Francis has decided to puts off a trip to Africa due to knee problems, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said…

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