Vatican readies Sistine Chapel for conclave to elect pope Vatican workers made final preparations in the Sistine Chapel on Saturday after Roman Catholic cardinals voted to begin their conclave to elect a new pope under Michelangelo's famous frescoes next week.
09 March 2013
Sex abuse victims list 'dirty dozen' papal candidates Clergy sex abuse victims listed a "dirty dozen" potential papal candidates Wednesday and urged the Roman Catholic Church to "get serious" about protecting children, helping victims and exposing corruption.
08 March 2013
Vatican, Iran resist UN effort fighting violence on women The Vatican, Iran and other religious states are resisting efforts by a UN conference, which started Monday, to demand tougher global standards to prevent violence against women and children.
06 March 2013
Egyptian University Nur-Mubarak renamedEgyptian University of the Islamic Culture Nur-Mubarak in Almaty changed its name to Kazakh-Egyptian Islamic University Nur.
05 March 2013
British cardinal apologises for sexual conduct Cardinal Keith O'Brien, who resigned last week as Britain's most senior Roman Catholic cleric, on Sunday admitted that his sexual conduct had "fallen below the standards expected of me".
04 March 2013
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
Croatia Catholic Church in anti-sex education campaign Freshly introduced sexual education classes in Croatia's schools has split the EU-bound country as the powerful Catholic Church challenges the centre-left government over its newest addition to the curriculum.
28 February 2013
Turkey wants to retrieve kids fostered outside their culture Turkey has embarked on a campaign to retrieve children of Turkish immigrant families living in Europe who are fostered by foreigners, and instead place them in homes where their cultural identity can be preserved.
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.
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.
Vatican's popeless interim -- the 'Sede Vacante' After the pope's resignation on Thursday the Catholic Church will enter a period known as "Sede Vacante" ("Vacant Seat") in which a cardinal takes over interim powers before a new pope is elected.
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.