Vatican austerity means donated nativity scene
The Vatican has happily accepted a donated Nativity scene for St. Peter's Square this Christmas after a previous setup costing €550,000 ($717,000) was ...

A look at prolific Twitter accounts
Pope Benedict XVI hit the 1 million Twitter follower mark on Wednesday as he sent his first tweet from his new account. In amassing an army of ...

Pope hits 1M mark as he tweets: 'Dear Friends... '
Pope Benedict XVI hit the 1 million Twitter follower mark on Wednesday as he sent his first tweet from his new account, blessing his online fans and ...
China revokes new Shanghai Catholic bishop's title
In a fresh challenge to Vatican authority, China has revoked the title of a new Catholic bishop in Shanghai who outraged Chinese officials by ...

Pope's sensitive side revealed in children's book
A children's picture book about the goldfish pond at the pope's summer residence reveals a side of him few may know. Every day while Pope Benedict XVI ...

Pope opens holiday season decrying selfishness
Pope Benedict XVI has kept up a holiday tradition, praying at the foot of Rome's Spanish Steps in the heart of the city's posh shopping district, and ...
Mercedes delivers new popemobile to Vatican
German automaker Daimler says it has delivered Pope Benedict XVI his new popemobile — a customized Mercedes-Benz M-Class SUV with special security ...

Pope shores up papal household after leaks scandal
Pope Benedict XVI moved Friday to shore up the papal household in the aftermath of the Vatican's leaks scandal, naming his trusted secretary to also ...
Pope makes aid appeal over Congo
Pope Benedict XVI has asked the international community to provide assistance in the "grave humanitarian crisis" in the Congo, where the government ...
Israel's President tweets the pope a welcome
Israeli President Shimon Peres welcomed Pope Benedict XVI, both octogenarians, to social media with a personal tweet on Tuesday. Peres, 89, tweeted ...

Pope joins tweeting masses with Pontifex handle
Benedict XVI, the pope known for his hefty volumes of theology and lengthy encyclicals, is now trying brevity — spreading the faith through his own ...

Pope greets clowns, acrobats: Circus comes to town
Pope Benedict XVI greeted thousands of clowns, acrobats, puppeteers and even a pair of lion cubs on Saturday as the circus came to town for an unusual ...

John Paul's artifacts, memorabilia to come to US
Promoters of a traveling exhibit of artifacts and memorabilia belonging to Pope John Paul II unveiled two items from the pontiff's life Thursday that ...
Brazil faithful to walk 13 kilometers to see pope
Those people hoping to attend next year's open air papal Mass in Brazil will have to be in good physical condition. The website of the organizing ...

Vatican sells stamps to restore famed colonnade
Not even the Vatican is immune from the economic crisis. For the first time, the Vatican is seeking funds directly from pilgrims, collectors and ...

Pope with Lebanon cardinal urges regional peace
Pope Benedict XVI has launched his latest appeal for peace in Syria and the Middle East during an audience with Lebanon's new cardinal. Benedict also ...
Pope tells new cardinals not to be lured by power
Pope Benedict XVI has told his six new cardinals to resist the allure of power and instead be like Jesus and focus their work on spreading the ...

Pope elevates 6 cardinals to choose successor
Pope Benedict XVI responded to criticism that the club of churchmen who will choose his successor is too Eurocentric, elevating six new cardinals from ...
Vatican names bishop for troubled Irish diocese
The pope on Saturday named a new bishop for the troubled Irish diocese of Cloyne, where for years its previous bishop ignored the Irish church's own ...