# Vatican

Pope Francis extends 2019 sex abuse law to cover lay leaders

A letter, directly sent by the pontiff, also said that vulnerable adults could be victims of predator priests

8.9k

Sat 5:55 PM

# Acropolis

Vatican returns sculpture fragments taken from Parthenon to Greece

The fragments will be added to the collection at the Acropolis Museum, which opened in 2009 at the foot of the ancient site in Athens.

11.4k

Fri 9:35 PM

Last month

February 2023

Pope Francis urges end to ethnic hatred at open-air mass in South Sudan

It was the pontiff’s first visit to the largely Christian country since it achieved independence from mainly Muslim Sudan in 2011.

5.3k

Feb 5th 2023, 11:00 AM

January

January 2023

Pope Francis: Those criminalising homosexuality are 'wrong'

The Pontiff has written a letter clarifying his earlier comments about homosexual acts being a sin.

15.9k

Jan 28th 2023, 4:02 PM

# Australia

Cardinal Pell, whose abuse convictions were overturned, dies aged 81

Vatican news agency EWTN reported that his death on Tuesday was due to complications from hip replacement surgery.

11.4k

Jan 11th 2023, 7:29 AM

# papal funeral

Former Pope Benedict XVI buried in Vatican following funeral mass this morning

Police estimated some 100,000 people would attend.

17.8k

Updated

Jan 5th 2023, 11:50 AM

Pilgrims keep streaming to Vatican to honour Pope Benedict

The former pontiff’s body is lying in state after his death on Saturday.

8.5k

Jan 3rd 2023, 11:00 AM

# Lying in state

Tens of thousands pay tribute to ex-pope Benedict at Vatican

Today is the first day of three days of lying-in-state at St Peter’s Basilica.

16.7k

Updated

Jan 2nd 2023, 7:21 PM

# Pope Benedict XVI

Pope leads New Year's services with homage to 'beloved' Benedict

Delivering his Sunday Angelus prayer in St Peter’s Square, the pope bowed his head in a moment of silence.

12.8k

Updated

Jan 1st 2023, 11:49 AM

Last year

2022

# Pope Benedict XVI

Irish and world leaders pay tributes as former pope Benedict XVI dies aged 95

Benedict XVI resigned as pope in 2013.

His health had been in decline, with Pope Francis calling for prayers in recent days

Benedict will be buried in the papal tombs under St Peter's Basilica

The German pope emeritus, whose birth name was Joseph Ratzinger, had been living a quiet life since his shock decision to step down

60.1k

Updated

Dec 31st 2022, 7:05 PM

Pope Benedict XVI dead at 95: From the Nazi Youth to the papacy

The German national became pontiff in 2005.

22.5k

Dec 31st 2022, 9:59 AM

# Pope

Ex-pope Benedict's condition remains 'stable', Vatican says

Pope Francis said on Wednesday his predecessor was “very ill”.

3.9k

Dec 30th 2022, 3:04 PM

Ex-pope Benedict's health serious but stable, says Vatican

Benedict, who was the first pope since the Middle Ages to resign as head of the Catholic Church, has been in fragile health for many years.

10.5k

Updated

Dec 29th 2022, 1:46 PM

Vatican says health of retired pope Benedict XVI ‘worsening’

95-year-old Benedict became the first pontiff to resign in six centuries when he stepped down in 2013.

31.7k

Updated

Dec 28th 2022, 1:00 PM

Vatican to launch preliminary abuse investigation into French cardinal

Jean-Pierre Ricard, a long-standing bishop of Bordeaux, admitted to a “reprehensible” act on a 14-year-old.

11.5k

Nov 11th 2022, 5:40 PM

# Nicaragua

Pope 'concerned' after Nicaraguan bishop detained

Pope Francis said he was following “closely with concern and sorrow” the situation in Nicaragua, two days after bishop and regime critic Rolando Alvarez was detained.

13.8k

Aug 21st 2022, 1:36 PM

Pope Francis says he may have to slow down or retire

The 85-year-old pope has been using a wheelchair more frequently due to knee pain.

24.5k

Jul 30th 2022, 1:15 PM

Pope appoints first women to Vatican department responsible for choosing new bishops

Two nuns and a laywoman have been appointed to the Dicastery for Bishops.

14.7k

Jul 13th 2022, 7:18 PM

Pope Francis dismisses resignation rumours

Francis also said he hopes to visit Moscow and Kyiv.

11.9k

Jul 4th 2022, 2:48 PM

Pope Francis fuels speculation on future

Italian and Catholic media have been rife with unsourced rumours that the 85-year-old, who is suffering mobility problems, might resign.

55.3k

Jun 5th 2022, 12:00 PM

Pope Francis names 21 new cardinals

Many of the names are figures from outside Europe, keeping with Francis’s determination to have church leaders reflect the global face of the Catholic Church.

23.6k

May 29th 2022, 5:00 PM

Powerful Vatican prelate Cardinal Angelo Sodano dies aged 94

His legacy was tarnished by his support for the paedophile founder of an influential religious order.

20.6k

May 28th 2022, 2:59 PM

Pope Francis apologises to Canadian Indigenous people for abuse at church-run schools

Numerous investigations into the former residential schools are underway across Canada after the discovery of mass unmarked graves.

12.0k

Apr 1st 2022, 4:32 PM

# Pope Benedict

Former pope confirms he attended meeting in 1980 about abusive priest despite earlier denial

He says an editorial error was responsible for his previous assertion that he was not there.

15.0k

Jan 24th 2022, 1:27 PM

All time

Joe Biden’s meeting with Pope Francis runs into overtime

Biden’s support of abortion rights and same-sex marriage has put him at odds with many US bishops.

29.4k

Updated

Oct 29th 2021, 8:26 PM

Two priests cleared after Vatican sex abuse trial

The case was the Vatican’s first criminal trial for such allegations.

10.6k

Oct 6th 2021, 1:13 PM

Cardinal on trial as Vatican financial scandal case resumes

Cardinal Angelo Becciu served as the equivalent of chief of staff for Pope Francis at the time of the deal.

10.5k

Oct 5th 2021, 9:48 AM

# Banned

Vatican sanctions Polish archbishop for cover-up of child sexual abuse

The retired archbishop has been banned from public service.

20.2k

Aug 21st 2021, 5:22 PM

# Angelo Becciu

Cardinal and nine others on trial in landmark Vatican fraud case

It’s the largest criminal trial in the Vatican’s modern history.

19.6k

Jul 27th 2021, 12:21 PM

Vatican indicts 10, including Cardinal, on charges including extortion and abuse of office

Cardinal Angelo Becciu is among those facing an indictment.

20.2k

Jul 3rd 2021, 2:02 PM

# evening fix

Here's What Happened Today: Tuesday

Here’s your round-up of what made the headlines today.

10.3k

Jun 22nd 2021, 9:30 PM

Vatican challenges Italian homophobia law in 'unprecedented' move

The Vatican argues the anti-homophobia law violates a treaty between Rome and the Holy See.

25.6k

Jun 22nd 2021, 4:51 PM

# abortion views

US Catholic bishops advance effort that could deny Biden holy communion

Biden supports the landmark 1973 US Supreme Court decision affirming a woman’s right to an abortion.

68.5k

123

Jun 19th 2021, 10:11 AM

Pope updates canon law to address sexual abuse of children by priests

It came after repeated complaints by victims of sexual abuse and others that previous wording within the code was outdated and opaque.

19.0k

Jun 1st 2021, 6:10 PM

# Papal Visit

Pope Francis arrives in Iraq for first papal visit amid pandemic and security concerns

Foreign minister Fuad Hussein said Iraqis were eager to welcome Francis’s ‘message of peace and tolerance’.

21.7k

Updated

Mar 5th 2021, 12:15 PM

# Capitol Violence

Pope calls for US to show 'sense of responsibility'

Pope Francis urged the US authorities to protect democratic values.

25.0k

Jan 10th 2021, 4:40 PM

Pope appoints first African American cardinal

Pope Francis has created 95 new cardinals since his election in 2013.

20.8k

Nov 28th 2020, 6:25 PM