site.news_by_theme pope
Sudanese Christian woman spared death sentence meets Pope
A Sudanese Christian woman whose death sentence for renouncing Islam sparked a global outcry that eventually led to an acquittal, met Pope Francis after arriving in Italy en route to the United States.
25 July 2014
Pope begins Middle East 'pilgrimage' in Jordan
Pope Francis arrives in Jordan Saturday at the start of a Middle East tour aiming to boost ties with Muslims and Jews as well as easing an age-old rift within Christianity itself.
24 May 2014
South Korean cardinal in first visit to North
A South Korean cardinal visited the North on Wednesday in the first trip of its kind, an official said, ahead of a visit by Pope Francis to Seoul that Catholic authorities hope will promote peace between the neighbours.
21 May 2014
Pope attends 300,000-strong rally for Catholic schools
Pope Francis on Saturday attended a giant rally for children and teachers from Italy's Catholic schools, with the Vatican saying that 300,000 people turned out for the event in and around St Peter's Square.
11 May 2014
Pope Francis declares John Paul II, John XXIII saints
Pope Francis on Sunday proclaimed John Paul II and John XXIII the Catholic Church's newest saints at a festive ceremony joined by hundreds of thousands of pilgrims for two pontiffs who helped shape 20th-century history.
28 April 2014
John Paul II sainthood a delicate issue for Mexicans
Many Mexicans have mixed emotions about seeing the late pope John Paul II become a saint: they loved the man but feel he covered up sexual abuses by priests.
26 April 2014
Social prayers at Pope Francis ceremony for Good Friday
Pope Francis attended an emotional night of prayers for hot-button social issues including domestic abuse, prison overcrowding and unemployment to mark the Good Friday before Easter.
19 April 2014
Pope asks forgiveness for child sex abuses
Pope Francis on Friday personally asked forgiveness for thousands of child sex abuses carried out by priests and promised more action following accusations of cover-ups and excessive leniency by the Vatican.
12 April 2014
Oscar winner plans TV drama about Italian-American pope: report
Italy's Oscar-winning director Paolo Sorrentino plans to make a debut television series entitled "The Young Pope" about Lenny Belardo -- a fictional first-ever Italian American pontiff, an Italian daily reported on Tuesday.
08 April 2014
Two sovereigns in Rome: Queen visits pope
Queen Elizabeth II meets Pope Francis for the first time on Thursday on a visit that coincides with the anniversary of the start of the Falklands War between Britain and Argentina.
03 April 2014
Two ex-Vatican bank chiefs face money laundering trial
Italian prosecutors on Friday said two former top executives at the Vatican bank will go on trial for money laundering, while the bank's ex-chairman was declared innocent.
29 March 2014
Obama meets Pope Francis, looks for Catholic boost
Barack Obama will meet Pope Francis for the first time Thursday for talks on a shared agenda to fight inequality which the US President hopes will help boost support at home.
27 March 2014
Italian Nun's stunning performance at the Voice Italy
25 y.o. Sicilian nun made all four judges of The Voice of Italy turn their chairs to chose her.
25 March 2014
Pope marks first year far from Rome's madding crowd
Pope Francis will spend the first anniversary of his election in a spiritual retreat, far from the adoring crowds in Rome and the tensions within the Church hierarchy that have defined the last year.
13 March 2014
Now the hard work starts for superstar pope
Pope Francis celebrates one year in office on Thursday swaddled in a blanket of approval world leaders would die for and most of his predecessors could only dream of.
13 March 2014
Pope popular in US but sex scandals cast long shadow
A year after being chosen Pope Francis is very popular with American Catholics though his handling of the pedophile priests' scandal left many underwhelmed, a new study found.
06 March 2014
Pope to create 19 new cardinals, many from outside Europe
Pope Francis will create his first batch of cardinals on Saturday, with nine of the 19 coming from South America, Africa and Asia.
22 February 2014
France's embattled Hollande to meet pope, woo angry Catholics
Abortion and euthanasia will be among hot button issues on the table when Pope Francis meets embattled French President Francois Hollande.
24 January 2014
Christians increasingly under threat: Catholic observers
Thousands of Christians are killed every year because of their faith and the persecution is becoming more widespread.
26 December 2013
Pope marks first Christmas as crowds flock to Bethlehem
Pope Francis held his first Christmas Eve mass in the Vatican on Tuesday by highlighting the role played by humble shepherds in the Nativity, as thousands flocked to the historic site of Jesus's birth in Bethlehem.
25 December 2013