Red velvet curtains being hung over the central loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica by workers on a crane caught my eye this morning as I walked to work. Besides the Sistine Chapel getting its famous chimney on Saturday morning, these curtains are another sign that the Conclave to elect the next Pope is near – [...]

Before you start thinking of all the things that might be changing at the Vatican these days, let me give you fair warning. This post is about a garden, but it’s not just any old garden. It’s the botanical arrangement between the back of St. Peter’s Basilica and the building that houses the government offices [...]