VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – If you’ve ever dreamed of being in the Sistine Chapel without feeling like you are craning your neck in a packed open-top tourist bus, now is your chance. The Vatican Museums re-opened to the public on Monday after being closed for nea... More »
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – They could be called the Vatican’s vampire prints – works by masters such as Henri Matisse, Edvard Munch and Salvador Dali so delicate that they usually lie dormant for years in dark storage in its museums. Now, 150 etchings, woodcuts,... More »
TOKYO (Reuters) – Pope Francis expressed concern about future energy sources as he comforted victims of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear reactor disaster on Monday, noting a call by Japan’s Catholic bishops to abolish nuclear power outright. Around 18,000 people die... More »
VENICE, Italy (Reuters) – Jude Law brought the follow-up to “The Young Pope” to the Venice Film Festival on Sunday, presenting a glimpse of his return in the Paolo Sorrentino-directed papal drama, which at one point sees him wearing just “a napkin”. The second... More »
ROME (Reuters) – Franco Zeffirelli, who directed the world’s greatest opera singers and brought Shakespeare to the cinema-going masses, has died. He was 96. In a statement, his foundation said he died in Rome on Saturday. “Ciao Maestro,” said the announcement.... More »
MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Jailed former Vatican treasurer George Pell will appeal on Wednesday against his convictions for sexually abusing two choir boys in the 1990s and if an Australian court rules in his favor could be released or face a retrial. Pell, 77, the... More »
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis has often warned against gossiping among friends and neighbors, but now he says it should also be avoided in those modern temples of cheap talk: beauty parlors and hair salons. The pope exhorted some 230 Italian Catholic h... More »
PARIS (Reuters) – Four-hundred-year-old paintings hung high inside Notre-Dame were damaged by the immense fire that engulfed the Paris cathedral, but emergency workers formed a human chain to whisk gem-studded chalices and other priceless artefacts out of harm... More »
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – The Vatican’s Swiss Guard, the colorfully dressed mini-army that helps protect the pope, will have cooler heads now they have swapped their ancient metal helmets for ones made by 3-D printers. The new helmets, made of a thermoplastic, ... More »
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis has given the homeless a Christmas gift of a new clinic in St. Peter’s Square where they can get free medical help, the Vatican said on Saturday, announcing his latest move to help Rome’s destitute. The Rome Catholic chari... More »
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – The traditional nativity scene in St. Peter’s Square won’t be so traditional this year. For the first time, it is made of sand – 720 tons of it. For the past two weeks, Rich Varano, a professional sand artist, has been guiding three sc... More »
ROME (Reuters) – A new high-tech forensic study of the blood flows on the Shroud of Turin, the mysterious linen some Christians believe is Jesus’ burial cloth, is the latest analysis to suggest that it is most likely a mediaeval fake. The results of the invest... More »
SYDNEY (Reuters) – A drawing of an Australasian cockatoo by a Roman Emperor has revealed trade routes between Southeast Asia and Europe were flourishing around 250 years earlier than previously thought, according to a paper published by the University of Melbo... More »
CANNES, France (Reuters) – Viewers hoping Wim Wenders’ documentary about Pope Francis will be a critical portrait of the head of the Catholic Church will be disappointed. The German director makes no excuses for the fact this is a work of love for a man he res... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – The father of gravely ill Alfie Evans, the 23-month-old boy whose plight has drawn international attention, said on Thursday he wanted to build bridges with staff at the British hospital he has been battling in the courts over his son’s trea... More »
YINGTAN, China (Reuters) – Like many Chinese Catholics, Lin Jinqing was shocked when news trickled through to him of an impending deal between Beijing and the Vatican that would end a long dispute over control of the Church in China. As a member of a so-called... More »
Pope Francis celebrates the marriage of crew members Paula Podest (C) and Carlos Ciufffardi (L) during the flight between Santiago and the northern city of Iquique, Chile January 18, 2018. Osservatore Romano/Handout via REUTERS ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (Reuters)... More »
LIMA (Reuters) – Pope Francis may have divine inspiration but not divine inflation: on Friday he suffered what millions of ordinary people have to deal with — a flat tire. While the pope was being driven into Lima from the airport, one of the wheels of the Fia... More »
IQUIQUE, Chile (Reuters) – Pope Francis ordered his popemobile to stop on Thursday after a mounted Chilean policewoman was thrown off her frightened horse, which had reared up as the pontiff passed by. Francis stepped from his vehicle and waited several minute... More »
Peruvian shamans perform a ritual prior to the arrival of Pope Francis to Peru, at Pescadores beach in Chorrillos, Lima, Peru, January 17, 2018. REUTERS/Guadalupe Pardo LIMA (Reuters) – Peruvian shamans said on Wednesday they expect good news from the visit of... More »
Salvador Nasralla, presidential candidate for the Opposition Alliance Against the Dictatorship gives a speech to supporters as he takes part in a protest while the country is still mired in chaos over a contested presidential election in Tegucigalpa, Honduras ... More »
Pope Francis landed in Yangon on Monday, the start of a delicate visit for the leader of the Roman Catholic church to majority-Buddhist Myanmar, which the United States has accused of conducting "ethnic cleansing" against its Muslim Rohingya people. More »
People wait outside the residence of Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, Archbishop of Yangon, where Pope Francis will be staying during his visit in Yangon, Myanmar November 27, 2017. REUTERS/Jorge Silva YANGON (Reuters) – Pope Francis landed in Yangon on Monday, the ... More »
The Vatican and China will exchange paintings, vases and sculptures in a bid to mend often strained ties through "the diplomacy of art", officials said on Tuesday. More »
Pope Francis on Wednesday chastised priests and bishops who take pictures with their cell phones during Masses, saying they should focus on God instead. More »
The earth is a fragile thing that could even destroy itself, Pope Francis told astronauts on the International Space Station on Thursday, saying they had an opportunity to see the planet "from the eyes of God". More »
The earth is a fragile thing that could even destroy itself, Pope Francis told astronauts on the International Space Station on Thursday, saying they had an opportunity to see the planet "from the eyes of God". More »
The earth is a fragile thing that could even destroy itself, Pope Francis told astronauts on the International Space Station on Thursday, saying they had an opportunity to see the planet "from the eyes of God". More »
The earth is a fragile thing that could even destroy itself, Pope Francis told astronauts on the International Space Station on Thursday, saying they had an opportunity to see the planet "from the eyes of God". More »
The U.S. Senate on Monday voted to confirm President Donald Trump's nomination of Callista Gingrich to be the U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican. More »
Pope Francis will get closer to the heavens this month when he puts in a call to the International Space Station. More »
Vatican treasurer Cardinal George Pell will face a court hearing in Australia next year to answer what police have described as "historical sexual offences", a magistrate said on Friday, the most senior Roman Catholic official to face such accusations. More »
In 1517, Michelangelo climbed Mount Altissimo in Tuscany and found the marble of his dreams. More »
Cardinal George Pell attends news conference at the Vatican, June 29, 2017. REUTERS/Remo Casilli A top Vatican official charged in his native Australia with historical sex crimes arrived in Sydney on Monday ahead of his first court appearance later this month. More »
A demonstrator clashes with riot security forces while rallying against Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela, June 10, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on Sunday he would ask Pope Francis to per... More »
Pope Francis leads the Wednesday General Audience in Saint Peter’s square at the Vatican, May 17, 2017. REUTERS/Max Rossi Pope Francis praised scientists working on treatments for genetic diseases on Thursday but condemned any use of human embryos in medical r... More »
U.S. President Donald Trump arrives aboard Air Force One at JFK International Airport in New York, U.S. May 4, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst President Donald Trump will express support for Palestinian “self-determination” during a Middle East trip this month, a... More »
A mural signed by ‘TV Boy’ and depicting Pope Francis and U.S. President Donald Trump kissing, is seen on a wall in downtown Rome, Italy May 11, 2017. REUTERS/Tony Gentile A life-size mural depicting Pope Francis with a saintly halo kissing U.S. President Dona... More »
Visitors stand near the newly restored Edicule, the ancient structure housing the tomb, which according to Christian belief is where Jesus’s body was anointed and buried, seen at the completion of months of restoration works, at the Church of the Holy Sepulchr... More »
FILE PHOTO: Pope Francis waves after delivering his ”Urbi et Orbi” (to the city and the world) message from the balcony overlooking St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican December 25, 2016. REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi/File Photo Pope Francis has said he is willing t... More »
Members of the Royal Malaysia Police special operation forces stand guard inside the morgue at Kuala Lumpur General Hospital where Kim Jong Nam’s body is held for autopsy in Malaysia, February 21, 2017. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha Malaysia has stepped up secur... More »
Two 1:1 scale photographic books depicting Sistine Chapel are seen during a news conference in the Sistine Chapel, the Vatican February 24, 2017. REUTERS/Philip Pullella The last time the entire Sistine Chapel was photographed for posterity, digital photograph... More »
Pope Francis leads his Wednesday general audience at the Paul VI audience hall in Vatican City February 8, 2017. REUTERS/Tony Gentile Pope Francis issued a stinging criticism of atrocities against Myanmar’s Rohingya minority on Wednesday, saying they had been ... More »
FILE PHOTO – Then Deputy Health Minister Huang Jiefu speaks during a group session of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing March 10, 2011. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo Beijing’s top official on transplants said on Tuesday Be... More »
A top Chinese health official will attend a conference at the Vatican on organ trafficking this week, a state run newspaper said on Monday, with the visit coming as China and the Holy See try to improve ties. More »
A suspected U.S. drone strike killed two men believed to be al Qaeda militants in central Yemen, local officials said early on Monday, hours after American commandos carried out the first military operation authorized by President Donald Trump. More »
Believers attend a service at the unofficial catholic church in Majhuang village, Hebei Province, China, December 11, 2016. Picture taken December 11, 2016. REUTERS/Thomas Peter The Vatican should take steps to improve relations with China, the Chinese head of... More »
Italian 1997 Nobel literature prize winner Dario Fo reacts on unveiling a commemorative postage stamp in Stockholm November 13, 2008. REUTERS/Scanpix/Anders Wiklund Nobel prize-winning Italian playwright, director and political activist Dario Fo, an acclaimed ... More »
Pope Francis gestures as he speaks to journalists on his flight back to Rome following a visit in Georgia and Azerbaijan, October 2, 2016. REUTERS/Luca Zennaro/Pool Pope Francis on Sunday advised U.S. Catholics who feel they are torn between two imperfect cand... More »
A tapestry picturing Mother Teresa hangs from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, September 1, 2016. REUTERS/Stefano Rellandini When Mother Teresa is made an official saint of the Roman Catholic Church on Sunday, one city will be partic... More »
ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE Pope Francis said on Saturday that his meeting with Bernie Sanders, contesting the Democratic candidacy for the U.S. Presidency, was not meddling in politics and that anyone who thought otherwise should “look for a psychiatrist”. Sanders... More »
WASHINGTON U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders will speak at an event in the Vatican next week, likely broadening his appeal to Catholic voters ahead of crucial nominating contests in a series of Northeastern states. Like Pope Francis, Sander... More »
ROME Silhouettes of emperors, popes and artists are slowly emerging on the grimy walls of the Tiber River in Rome, part of an epic mural that tells the history of the Eternal City. Technicians are using power hoses on the dirty stone to stencil the 550-metre-l... More »
VATICAN CITY Pope Francis warned on Monday that the recent influx of migrants risked overwhelming European values and traditions, but said he was confident the continent could successfully integrate the newcomers. In an annual address to diplomats at the Vatic... More »
BANGUI Pope Francis ventured into one of the world’s most dangerous neighbourhoods on Monday to beg Christians and Muslims to end a spiral of hate, vendetta and bloodshed that has killed thousands over the past three years. Under intense security, Francis pass... More »
NEW ORLEANS Democrat John Bel Edwards won election on Saturday as the next governor of Louisiana, staking a rare victory for his party in the conservative U.S. South, daily newspaper The Advocate and WWL-TV projected. Edwards, a 49-year-old state legislator, d... More »
FLORENCE, Italy Pope Francis called on Tuesday for a Catholic Church that is not cosseted, self-centered and obsessed with power and money, as he faces new challenges to his financial reforms at the Vatican. The Argentine pope, who made his comments during a d... More »
BEIJING/WASHINGTON On Friday morning, Chinese President Xi Jinping enjoyed the symbolic high point of his first state visit to the United States – a 21-gun salute as he stood with President Barack Obama outside the White House. For most Americans, it was a sid... More »
HAVANA Pope Francis met Cuba’s revolutionary leader Fidel Castro on Sunday, hours after warning Cubans to beware the dangers of ideology and the lure of selfishness as their country enters a new era of closer ties with the United States. Latin America’s first ... More »
WASHINGTON The four leaders of the U.S. Congress asked members on Thursday to refrain from one of Washington’s favorite rituals when Pope Francis visits the Capitol next week: no trying to grab a handshake as he makes his way in. On Sept. 24, Pope Francis will... More »
ROME Pope Francis slipped out of the Vatican on Thursday evening to make a surprise visit to a Rome optician’s shop to get a new pair of eyeglasses, insisting that his old frames be re-used and that he would pay for them. Francis was driven to Ottica Spiezia o... More »
LA PAZ A Bolivian avant-garde restaurant hopes this week to serve a well-known non-paying customer and receive a holy seal of approval for its new creation: a quinoa-based communion wafer. Chefs at the restaurant, Gustu, in La Paz expect Pope Francis to receiv... More »
VATICAN CITY Pope Francis will decide for himself if he chews coca leaves in order to ward off altitude sickness when he lands next week at La Paz, Bolivia, the highest international airport in the world, the Vatican said on Tuesday. A Bolivian minister said o... More »
