In pictures – Mosaic of mourners bids farewell to Benedict XVI
AP One Pope laid to rest another Thursday in an extraordinary ceremony at the Vatican as the Catholic faithful bade farewell to Benedict XVI, who resigned the papacy a decade ago. Mourners crowded into St Peter’s Square starting in the early morning, when fog obscured the basilica’s dome. Clergy and lay people alike created a mosaic with […]
Updated: Pope Francis leads Benedict’s funeral as supporters seek sainthood
Updated: 6:30am, 6th January, 2023 (AEST)Vatican CityReuters Pope Francis led the funeral of former Pope Benedict on Thursday, tenderly touching the coffin of his predecessor as he stood supported on a cane before tens of thousands of mourners, some of who called for the late pontiff to be made a saint. Benedict’s death on Saturday […]
Pope unveils Vatican Christmas tree, urging Christians to ‘stay rooted’ in Jesus
Vatican CityRNS As this year’s Vatican Christmas tree and nativity scene were unveiled on Saturday, Pope Francis reminded the faithful to “stay rooted in Jesus Christ” during the holidays. “The tree teaches us about our roots, the nativity scene invites us to contemplation. Don’t forget these two human and Christian attitudes,” he said. A view […]
Pope condemns “relentless” bombing of Ukrainian cities
Vatican CityReuters Pope Francis on Wednesday condemned Russia’s “relentless bombings” of Ukrainian cities, saying the attacks had unleashed a “hurricane of violence” on residents. Speaking to thousands of people at his weekly general audience in St Peter’s Square, he also appealed to “those who have the fate of the war in their hands” to stop. […]
Pope begs Putin to end “spiral of violence and death”, fears nuclear war
Vatican CityReuters Pope Francis for the first time directly begged Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop the “spiral of violence and death” in Ukraine, saying on Sunday that the crisis was risking a nuclear escalation with uncontrollable global consequences. In an address dedicated to Ukraine and made to thousands of people in St Peter’s Square, […]
Pope Francis: Thank you, Benedict, for praying for church
Vatican CityAP Pope Francis on Tuesday offered an affectionate, public thank-you to Benedict XVI, whose retirement from the papacy in 2013 shocked the Roman Catholic Church and the world. Addressing tourists and Romans in St Peter’s Square, Francis triggered applause when he recalled that it was the 70th anniversary of Benedict’s ordination to the priesthood […]
Pope calls on Russia and Ukraine to seek reconciliation
Vatican CityAP Pope Francis on Sunday voiced apprehension over a recent Russian troop buildup near the border with Ukraine and called for efforts to ease tensions in the seven year conflict in eastern Ukraine pitting Ukrainian forces against Russia-backed rebels. Ukrainian authorities say cease-fire violations have become more frequent in recent weeks, with nearly 30 […]
Vatican unveils Nativity scene and lights up tree for Christmas
Vatican CityRNS Let there be light. The 30-metre-tall spruce placed just off-centre in Saint Peter’s Square was lit during a small and socially distanced ceremony on Friday as prelates invoked a spirit of peace and encounter after a year marked by the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, a light will also illuminate the Holy Family in […]
Pope urges Nile states to continue talks over disputed dam
Cairo, EgyptAP Pope Francis on Saturday urged Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan to continue talks to resolve their years-long dispute over a massive dam Ethiopia is building on the Blue Nile that has led to sharp regional tensions and fears of military conflict. Francis, speaking to a crowd gathered at St Peter’s Square on an official […]
Catholic faithful return to St Peter’s Square
Vatican CityAP Well-spaced faithful have gathered in St Peter’s Square for the first time in months for the traditional Sunday papal blessing. They cast their gaze at the window where the Pope normally addresses the faithful. Pope Francis delivers his blessing from the window of his studio overlooking St Peter’s Square, at the Vatican, on […]