Pope completes installation with emotional Rome mass Pope Francis on Sunday completed his installation as pontiff at an emotional ceremony in which he formally took possession of Rome's St John Lateran basilica -- the official seat of the city's bishop.
08 April 2013 12:05
Italy marks fourth anniversary of L'Aquila quake Italy on Saturday commemorated the fourth anniversary of a devastating earthquake in and around the city of L'Aquila which killed 309 people and forced tens of thousands to abandon their homes.
Pope marks first Good Friday with torch-lit ceremony Pope Francis marked his first Good Friday with a traditional torch-lit ceremony around the Colosseum in Rome and prayers for a Middle East "torn apart by injustice and conflicts".
30 March 2013 12:41
Italy struggles to break government deadlock Italy was left struggling to form a government after leftist leader Pier Luigi Bersani on Thursday lost his bid to end an impasse created by elections with no clear winner in the eurozone's third-largest economy.
29 March 2013 13:42
Muslim-born convert quits Church after pope change A Muslim-born journalist whose 2008 baptism by Pope Benedict XVI made him Italy's most famous convert announced Monday he was leaving the Catholic Church over the new pontiff's overtures to Islam.
Britain, Italy, Greece say hostages killed in Nigeria Britain, Italy and Greece on Sunday said that a claim by a Nigerian Islamist group that it had killed seven foreign hostages appeared to be true, while London denied it had sought to stage a rescue.
Italian leftist leader seeks way out of deadlock Italian leftist leader Pier Luigi Bersani admitted Tuesday he had "come first but not won" key elections and asked parties to help him push through reforms amid a political deadlock that sent markets tumbling.
27 February 2013 13:48
Split vote throws Italy into political gridlock Italy headed for gridlock and financial markets tumbled with a stalemate in parliament between right and left after critical elections in which the real winner might be a new protest party calling for a referendum on the euro.
Centre-left favoured as Italy holds landmark election Italy on Monday holds a second day of voting in a critical election for the future of the eurozone in which the centre-left Democratic Party is expected to win but fall short of a governing majority.