Vatican

The Latest

St. Peter's Basilica, front view.

Vatican abuse prevention event 'extremely important' for Church

Mar 23, 2017

By Hannah Brockhaus

On Thursday a Vatican event on the prevention of child abuse narrowed in on the importance of education in schools... Read more

Good Friday Collection to benefit Holy Land Christians

Mar 21, 2017

As Christians in the Middle East continue to suffer innumerable hardships this Lenten season, the Vatican has announced that this... Read more

Mirreille Twayigira in Rome on March 8, 2017.

My life isn't a tragedy – a Rwandan woman's incredible story of survival

Mar 13, 2017

By Elise Harris

She begged and scrounged for food in the forest; she drank water from a stream with dead bodies in it;... Read more

Sunset over St. Peter's Basilica.

For women, Vatican's new female advisory group 'a good start'

Mar 8, 2017

By Elise Harris

A new advisory group for the Pontifical Council for Culture is being hailed as the beginning of a greater representation... Read more

Pope Francis greets pilgrims in St. Peter's Square during the Wednesday general audience on Oct. 1 2014.

Vatican event to highlight key role of women in peace-building

Mar 6, 2017

By Elise Harris

To mark International Women's Day, the Vatican invited women from across the globe to discuss not only their work as... Read more

How to save biodiversity? Curb wasteful habits, Vatican event says

Mar 2, 2017

By Elise Harris

A Vatican conference on biodiversity has found that wasteful attitudes when it comes to consumption could be leading to the... Read more

View of St. Peter's Basilica.

Abuse survivor resigns from commission for protection of minors

Mar 1, 2017

By Elise Harris

On Wednesday the decision of clerical abuse survivor Marie Collins to resign from her post on the Pontifical Commission for... Read more

A view of the facade of St. Peter's Basilica from the Vaticans Apostolic Palace.

Vatican to crack down on illegal sale of papal symbols, coat of arms

Feb 22, 2017

By Elise Harris

On Wednesday the Vatican announced plans to monitor with a more careful eye those who print official images of the... Read more

Pope Francis meets with the grand imam Sheik Ahmed Muhammad Al-Tayyib at the Vatican May 23, 2016.

Vatican, Al-Azhar team up to counter religious justification for violence

Feb 21, 2017

By Elise Harris

The Vatican and one of Islam’s most renowned schools of Sunni thought are joining forces to discuss how they can... Read more

Is a Vatican-China agreement close? What could happen.

Feb 15, 2017

By Andrea Gagliarducci

Hopes are on the rise for an agreement between the Vatican and China on the appointment of bishops, with Cardinal... Read more

St. Peter's Square.

Vatican meeting calls organ trafficking a crime against humanity

Feb 9, 2017

By Hannah Brockhaus

After a conference on organ trafficking at the Vatican Feb. 7-8, participants signed a statement agreeing to unite in fighting... Read more

Pope Francis at the Divine Mercy Vigil in St. Peter's Square, April 2, 2016.

This is how Pope Francis keeps his peace amid Vatican 'corruption'

Feb 9, 2017

By Elise Harris

In a lengthy, unscripted dialogue with 140 male religious superiors, Pope Francis admitted that there is “corruption” inside the Vatican,... Read more

The statue of St. Peter inside the Vatican's St. Peter's Square, Jan. 19, 2015.

Bishop Fellay: Offer of personal prelature under consideration

Feb 3, 2017

By Elise Harris

While divisions between the Vatican and the Society of St. Pius X still exist, representatives from both sides have said... Read more

Knights of Malta appoint interim leader, reinstate Grand Chancellor

Jan 28, 2017

By Elise Harris

After Pope Francis asked Knights of Malta Grand Master Matthew Festing to resign earlier this week, the Order has accepted... Read more

Robert Matthew Festing of Order of Malta at a photography exhibition at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, April 14, 2016.

Knights of Malta Grand Master to resign at request of Pope Francis

Jan 25, 2017

By Elise Harris, Carl Bunderson

The Knights of Malta have confirmed that Matthew Festing, the Prince and Grand Master of the Order, has agreed to... Read more

Role of women a priority for Irish bishops during Vatican talks

Jan 24, 2017

By Elise Harris

The Irish bishops are just finishing up their first ad limina visit to Rome in 10 years – a time... Read more

A view of St. Peter's Basilica and Vatican City flag from the roof of a nearby building on June 5, 2015.

Siblings arrested in cyberattack that compromised Vatican computers

Jan 13, 2017

Two arrests have been made in a widespread cyber-attack that compromised communications of prominent Italian institutions and individuals, including the... Read more

A view of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, Jan. 25, 2015.

Vatican weekly paper gets a facelift

Jan 11, 2017

By Hannah Brockhaus

On Tuesday, the Vatican unveiled a “new and improved” weekly edition of its newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, which will begin with... Read more

Vatican speaks out on unapproved bishop ordinations in China

Dec 21, 2016

By Elise Harris

After the recent unauthorized ordination of bishops in China, which falls just ahead of a major meeting for Chinese Catholic... Read more

Hitler.

The astonishing secret history of the Pope who fought Hitler

Dec 18, 2016

By Kevin J. Jones

Pope Pius XII's secret support for the attempted overthrow of Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler is the subject of a new... Read more