Cardinals to begin pre-conclave talks in Vatican Catholic cardinals begin talks on Monday ahead of a conclave to elect the next pope, following Benedict XVI's historic resignation, as a British cardinal not in attendance admitted to sexual misconduct with priests.
04 March 2013
Cardinals look to conclave as Benedict begins quiet life Cardinals from around the world were summoned Friday to meetings that will set a date for a conclave to elect a new pope, as Benedict XVI settled into a pensioner's life after becoming the first pontiff to resign in more than 700 years.
02 March 2013
Pope readies for final audience on resignation eve Pope Benedict XVI will hold the last audience of his pontificate in St Peter's Square on Wednesday on the eve of his historic resignation as leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics.
27 February 2013
Pope accelerated LatAm church's right turn: analysts Benedict XVI's legacy in Latin America, the world's most Catholic region, is marked by a victory of conservative theology and the demise of home-grown leftist religious thought.
26 February 2013
Historic week looms for Vatican with papal resignation Pope Benedict XVI's final Sunday prayers in St Peter's Square will signal the start of a week in the Vatican that will make history with the first voluntary papal resignation in more than 700 years.
22 February 2013
Pedophilia scandals weigh on body to elect next pope Activists fighting for truth and justice for victims of sexual abuse by Catholic priests hold out little hope for progress under the next pope as controversy brews over a US cardinal who covered up for predator clerics.
Islamic clerics seek dialogue with new pope Senior Muslim clerics in Egypt believe Pope Benedict XVI's abrupt resignation could reopen the way for dialogue with the Catholic Church, severed after Benedict's controversial 2006 remarks on the Muslim prophet.
13 February 2013
Outgoing pope prepares for monk's life in Vatican Pope Benedict XVI, who has announced he will resign on February 28, will retire to a monastery tucked away inside the historic walls of the Holy See: so once the new pope is elected.
12 February 2013
Shocked world media speculates on pope's successor The world's media Tuesday speculated on whether the next pontiff may come from the developing world, while paying mixed tributes to Pope Benedict XVI following his shock resignation announcement.
12 February 2013
Pope announces resignation in historic move Pope Benedict XVI announced he will resign as leader of the world's 1.1 billion Catholics on February 28 because his age prevented him from carrying out his duties -- an unprecedented move in the modern history of the Catholic Church.
11 February 2013
Kairat Mami to meet with the PopeKazakhstan Senate speaker and head of the secretariat of the Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions will render a visit to Vatican on February 5-7.
04 February 2013
Pope turns to Twitter, new allies to battle for faith issues Pope Benedict XVI has galvanised Catholics at the close of 2012 to go on the offensive over key faith issues, forging new alliances and fighting secularism in the West with a media campaign.
29 December 2012
Pope ministers to Twitter flock Pope Benedict XVI is due to send out his first, much-anticipated Twitter message on Wednesday, with hundreds of thousands of followers already signed up to receive the tweet.
12 December 2012
Pope to start tweeting next week Pope Benedict XVI will join Twitter from December 12, with regular tweets in eight languages from the account @pontifex just in time for Christmas.
04 December 2012
Pope to name seven saints including first Native American Pope Benedict XVI will name seven new saints on Sunday including the first Native American, marking the start of a "Year of Faith" aimed at countering the rising tide of secularism in the West.
20 October 2012
World bishops gather to counter decline of faith Catholic bishops from around the world are convening for a synod starting on Sunday to debate how to counter rising secularism on the 50th anniversary of the historic but controversial Second Vatican Council.
04 October 2012
'Vatileaks': A behind-the-scenes look at Vatican politics The "Vatileaks" scandal that has led to the trial of Pope Benedict XVI's butler for theft involves hundreds of letters that passed across the pope's desk over several months in 2011 and early 2012.
03 October 2012
Pope's butler goes on trial in 'Vatileaks' scandal Pope Benedict XVI's former butler Paolo Gabriele went on trial on Saturday for leaking confidential Vatican memos that revealed cloak-and-dagger politics among the pope's closest aides.
29 September 2012
World's smallest state, Vatican holds one-of-a-kind trial The trial of Pope Benedict XVI's former butler and a Vatican computer technician for leaking secret papers starting on Saturday has no precedent since the Holy See became a sovereign state in 1929.