Vatican

The Latest

The Vatican on Sept. 16, 2024, unveiled a commemorative stamp to mark four decades of diplomatic relations with the United States. 

Vatican unveils commemorative stamp on 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations with U.S.

Sep 18, 2024

By Daniel Payne

U.S.-Vatican diplomatic relations extend back to 1788 when George Washington allowed that the Holy See could freely appoint bishops in... Read more

Pope Francis addresses elderly and sick people on his final day in Singapore on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, marking the conclusion of his 12-day, four-country apostolic journey to Asia and Oceania — the longest trip of his pontificate to date.

Pope Francis concludes apostolic journey with elderly and youth of Singapore

Sep 13, 2024

By Kristina Millare

The interreligious meeting concluded his 12-day, four-country apostolic journey to Southeast Asia and Oceania.    Read more

Pope Francis addresses leaders at the National University of Singapore on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024.

Pope Francis praises Singapore’s spirit of progress, reminds leaders not to exclude the weak

Sep 12, 2024

By Kristina Millare

The pope expressed his admiration for the dedication of the country’s past and present leaders to build unity amid a... Read more

Pope Francis greets the crowd at Sir John Guise Stadium in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, Monday, Sept. 9, 2024.

Pope to youth in Papua New Guinea: Words, gestures of love overcome ‘ugly fruit of hatred’

Sep 9, 2024

By Kristina Millare

The pope emphasized that “the language of love, the language of closeness, the language of service” is what can unite... Read more

Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

Pope Francis sends telegram of condolence to Cardinal Parolin after mother’s death

Sep 3, 2024

By Kristina Millare

Pope Francis assured Parolin of his closeness with him and his extended family during their “moment of human suffering.” Read more

Pope Francis prays during his general audience on Wednesday, May 29,  2024, in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican.

This is Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of September

Sep 1, 2024

By Francesca Pollio Fenton

“Let us pray for the cry of the Earth,” Pope Francis urged the faithful in a video released Aug. 30. Read more

Pope Francis meets with members of the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.

Vatican grants ‘nihil obstat’ to Our Lady of Mercy shrine in France

Aug 30, 2024

By Kristina Millare

On Aug. 22, the Holy See issued a “nihil obstat” (no objection) to the miraculous visions and physical healing of... Read more

Pope Francis addresses members of the Dicastery for Evangelization, who are meeting in an extraordinary plenary assembly Aug. 29–30, 2024, to discuss the future of the Pontifical Urban University, which educates priests and religious from the Catholic Church’s mission territories.

Pope Francis opposes idea to ‘dissolve’ 400-year-old missionary university in Rome

Aug 30, 2024

By Hannah Brockhaus

“There is some plan to ‘dissolve’ [the university] with the other universities: No, this will not do,” Francis said to... Read more

Pope Francis addresses the crowd gathered in St. Peter's Square for his Angelus address on Aug. 25, 2024.

Pope Francis: Human dignity must be ‘common commitment’ of all Christian churches

Aug 28, 2024

By Kristina Millare

This year’s symposium is titled “What Is Man? In the Time of Anthropological Mutation” and is taking place in Trani,... Read more

Vatican peace envoy Cardinal Matteo Zuppi spoke Aug. 14, 2024, with Li Hui, China’s special representative for Eurasian affairs, about the Russia-Ukraine war. The phone conversation was the most recent step in the Vatican’s continued diplomatic efforts to promote lasting peace in the region.

Vatican talks to China in continued Russia-Ukraine peace efforts

Aug 16, 2024

By Hannah Brockhaus

The phone conversation was the most recent step in the Vatican’s continued diplomatic efforts to promote lasting peace in the... Read more

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin (left) and Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Vatican urges Iran to avoid ‘in any way’ escalating conflict in Middle East

Aug 12, 2024

By Courtney Mares

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, spoke on the phone on Monday morning with Iran’s new president, Masoud... Read more

Pope Francis greets pilgrims at the Sunday Angelus at the Vatican, August 11, 2024

Pope Francis: True faith opens the mind and the heart

Aug 11, 2024

By Courtney Mares

“Brothers and sisters, when faith and prayer are true, they open the mind and the heart; they do not close... Read more

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin meets with Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk at the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Kyiv on Sunday, July 21, 2024.

Vatican secretary of state brings Pope Francis’ message of closeness to Ukraine

Jul 22, 2024

By Hannah Brockhaus

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin will meet with religious and civil authorities, including Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Read more

Some 6,000 grandparents and other older people attended the papal Mass in St. Peter's Basilica on July 23, 2023, for the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly.

World Day of Grandparents: Vatican grants plenary indulgence for visiting the elderly

Jul 18, 2024

By Hannah Brockhaus

Those who are grandparents or elderly themselves can also receive a plenary indulgence. Read more

The kids and Pope Francis released biodegradable balloons into the sky together on July 18, 2024. The Vatican said the message, “You, dear boy, dear girl, are precious in God’s eyes,” was stamped on the balloons “with the hope that the message will reach as many people as possible.”

PHOTOS: Pope Francis hangs out with Vatican summer camp kids

Jul 18, 2024

By Hannah Brockhaus

The day camp for children of Vatican employees is in its fourth year. It is taking place June 17-July 26... Read more

Paolo Ruffini, prefect of the Dicastery for Communication, speaks at a May 2, 2023, press conference.

Pope Francis adds two vice directors to Vatican communication dicastery

Jul 18, 2024

By Hannah Brockhaus

The Dicastery for Communication has been led since 2018 by Paolo Ruffini, the first layman to be named prefect of... Read more

Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, presides over a press conference on Friday, May 17, 2024, on the Vatican’s new document on Marian apparitions.

Vatican approves ‘Our Lady of the Rock’ shrine at alleged Marian apparition site in Italy

Jul 16, 2024

By Hannah Brockhaus

It is the DDF’s fourth public pronouncement related to alleged apparitions since issuing norms for the discernment of “alleged supernatural... Read more

Statue of St. Peter in front of St. Peter's Basilica.

First women hired for St. Peter’s Basilica’s ‘Sanpietrini’ maintenance crew

Jul 15, 2024

By Hannah Brockhaus

While women have worked for the Fabbrica di San Pietro before, it is the first time women are officially part... Read more

Delegates to the Synod on Synodality meet in the final days of the synod, Oct. 25, 2023.

Synod organizer says Vatican doctrine office is studying women deacons

Jul 9, 2024

By Courtney Mares

Cardinal Mario Grech said the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith is studying “the women’s diaconate” within the context... Read more

Pope Francis among the delegates of the Synod on Synodality, held in October of 2023.

These are the members of the Synod on Synodality study groups

Jul 9, 2024

By Hannah Brockhaus

The Instrumentum Laboris, the guiding document for the October 2024 assembly, makes reference to these study groups throughout. Read more