Vatican

Key Vatican cardinal resigns suddenly

A powerful Vatican cardinal caught up in a real estate scandal resigned suddenly on Thursday and gave up his right to take part in an eventual conclave to elect a…

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Vatican signs new MOU to fight corruption

The Prefect of the Vatican Secretariat for the Economy, Fr Juan Antonio Guerrero, and the Auditor General ad interim, Alessandro Cassinis Righini, signed on Friday a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) regarding…

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Bishop Mario Grech officially appointed General Secretary of the Synod of Bishops

The Holy See Press Office noon-day bulletin on Wednesday contained the news that Pope Francis accepted on Tuesday the resignation of Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri from his position as the General…

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Photo Story: The Pope stresses need to care for each other

Photos provided by the Vatican Media shows Pope Francis (R) exchanges his zucchetto with a faithful on the occasion of this morning's general audience which took place in the courtyard…

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Pope all smiles at first public audience in 6 months, appeals for Lebanon

Pope Francis held his weekly general audience in public for the first time in six months on Wednesday, smiling and chatting as he re-emerged from the constraints of the coronavius…

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Pope to readmit faithful to general audiences from next week

The faithful will be readmitted to Pope Francis’ weekly general audiences from Sept. 2, a Vatican statement said, as the Holy See slowly lift restrictions imposed due to the coronavirus…

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Pope Francis urges international solidarity with Lebanon

Pope Francis has urged international solidarity with Lebanon, following the explosion that devastated the capital of Beirut this week. “Last Tuesday’s catastrophe calls on all of us, starting with the…

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Vatican states ex Pope Benedict’s health ‘not particularly worrying’

The Vatican, responding to a German newspaper report that former Pope Benedict XVI was seriously ill, said on Monday his condition was “not particularly worrying” and that he was overcoming…

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EPA’s Eye in the Sky: The Vatican

Visitors wearing masks to prevent the spread of coronavirus, walk down a staircase designed by Giuseppe Momo in 1932, inspired by the original Bramante staircase designed by Renaissance architect Donato…

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Former Pope Benedict XVI ‘extremely frail’

Former pope Benedict XVI became seriously ill himself after visiting his sick brother in Germany in June and is "extremely frail", according to a report in the Monday edition of…

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Vatican issues new manual on reporting sex abuse

The Vatican published guidelines for bishops and other senior officials on Thursday on how to deal with child sex claims within the clergy. The manual includes a form to…

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Vatican’s new financial regulator vows transparency

The Vatican's new financial regulator says he is confident that the days when the Holy See would "wash dirty laundry" in private are over and that Pope Francis' recent spending…

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The Pope says coronavirus pandemic showed media mission essential

The COVID crisis has shown how essential the media's mission is, Pope Francis said Tuesday. "The experience of these last months has shown how essential the media's mission to…

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Photo Story: Pope celebrates mass and blessing of the Pallia for the feast of Saint Peter and Paul

Pope Francis celebrates a Holy Mass for the imposition of the Pallium upon the new Metropolitan Archbishops, during the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul apostles, in St. Peter's Basilica…

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Photo story: Pope Francis meets Msgr Alfred Xuereb, Titular Archbishop of Amantea

Handout photos provided by the Vatican Media on 26 June 2020 shows Pope Francis (R) receives Msgr Alfred Xuereb (L), Titular Archbishop of Amantea, Apostolic Nuncio to Korea and Mongolia,…

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Pope writes to Zanardi saying he has given “lesson of humanity”

Pope Francis has written to former Formula One driver and Paralympic champion Alex Zanardi, who is in intensive care after suffering severe head injuries in a handbike accident on Friday,…

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Pope Francis holds first audience after lockdown

Pope Francis yesterday held his first audience for a group of people since Italy lifted its coronavirus lockdown, granting it to health workers from the Italian region most affected by…

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Vatican urges Catholics to drop investments in fossil fuels, arms

The Vatican urged Catholics on Thursday to disinvest from the armaments and fossil fuel industries and to closely monitor companies in sectors such as mining to check if they are…

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Pope Francis donates 1 million euros for new charity to help people in Rome

Pope Francis has offered 1 million euros (1.1 million dollars) for a new charity fund targeting people in Rome left in dire straits by the coronavirus economic crisis. In the letter…

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Vatican Museums free for doctors and nurses

The Governorate of the Vatican City said that the Vatican Museums will be free for all Italian public and private doctors and nurses for a week as a mark of…

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Pope Francis leads the Regina Coeli prayer, says people more important than the economy

Pope Francis said on Sunday that people are more important than the economy, as countries decide how quickly to reopen their countries from coronavirus lockdowns. Francis made his comments, departing…

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Pope Francis leads the Pentecost Mass at the Vatican

Pope Francis celebrated the Pentecost with a Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, with a limited number of the faithful in attendance, as health protocols of the Covid-19 pandemic are still…

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50 shrines connect with Pope throughout global Rosary prayer

Pope Francis united with thousands of people throughout the world sought the Blessed Mother's help to end the coronavirus pandemic. The Pope along with about 130 gathered at the Lourdes…

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Faithful return to Vatican

A group of faithful greeted Pope Francis as he appeared at the window of the Apostolic palace after delivering his message during the Regina Coeli prayer After praying the Regina…

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Catholics commemorate the centenary of the birth of Saint Pope John Paul II

Speaking on Sunday after the Regina Caeli prayer, Pope Francis said “tomorrow (Monday) will be the centenary of the birth of Saint John Paul II, in Wadowice, Poland,” and he…

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Coronavirus pandemic hits hard on the Vatican coffers

Late last month, the Vatican announced the coronavirus pandemic had forced Pope Francis to postpone an annual fund raising campaign among Catholics worldwide to help him carry out his ministry.…

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Pope says Thursday will be day of prayer for all religions for end to pandemic

Thursday will be a day of prayer for all religions, Pope Francis said at his weekly general audience on Wednesday. He said he had agreed to a request from the…

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12th Covid-19 case in Vatican

The Holy See Press Office released a statement by Matteo Bruni, the Director of the Press Office, announcing that a 12th person has tested positive for the Covid-19 virus. This…

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Pope Francis appeals to respect the dignity of workers during Covid-19 pandemic

Pope Francis has urged employers to respect the dignity of workers, particularly migrants, in the face of economic difficulties brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic. Speaking at the end…

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Pope prays for families and against domestic violence in daily mass

Pope Francis today prayed for peace within family homes amid widespread social distancing restrictions around the world, as countries try to control the spread of the novel coronavirus. In particular,…

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10th Vatican employee tests positive for coronavirus

A 10th Vatican employee has tested positive for the coronavirus, the head of the Holy See press office Matteo Bruni said Tuesday. Bruni said the employee started showing symptoms in…

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Pope prays for European unity

Pope Francis said Wednesday that he was praying for European unity ahead of a big EU summit on the bloc's response to the economic earthquake caused by the coronavirus emergency.…

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Pope appeals to politicians to seek good of the country and not the good of their own parties

After celebrating the Mass yesterday, Divine Mercy Sunday, in the Church of the Holy Spirit in the Saxon District, Pope Francis resumed Masses at the Casa Santa Marta on Monday.…

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Pope calls for an all-embracing vision of the world after the coronavirus pandemic

Pope Francis called on Sunday for an all-embracing vision of the world after the Covid-19 crisis, saying moving on without global solidarity or excluding sectors of society from the recovery…

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Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI turns 93

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI celebrated his 93rd birthday Thursday praying for those affected by the coronavirus, his personal secretary Father Georg Gaenswein told Vatican News. The former pope, who…

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Photo Story: Pope Francis during Regina Coeli prayer

A handout picture provided by the Vatican Media shows Pope Francis during Coeli prayer at the Vatican, 13 April 2020, in front of an empty St. Peter's Square due to…

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A solitary Pope presided the Via Crucis on Good Friday

Pope Francis presides the Via Crucis (Way of the Cross) in the empty square outside the Saint Peter's Basilica, due the lockdown to stem the spread of the COVID-19 infection…

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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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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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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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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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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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“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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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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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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Catholic Church in Italian capital suspends catechism due to coronavirus outbreak

The Catholic Church in Rome suspended catechism and youth club activities until March 15. Masses will go ahead provided that churches are able to respect fundamental precautionary measures, the Church…

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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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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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