Latest Vatican City News

Pope has a cold and will skip outdoor Sunday prayer ahead of a busy week

Dec. 21, 2024 10:56 AM EST

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis is suffering from a cold and will deliver his Sunday blessing from indoors, the Vatican said, announcing the precautions ahead of a busy Christmas period and launch of the Holy Year that will sorely test Francis' stamina and health. The Vatican cited the...

Vatican advances beatification process for Belgium's king who abdicated rather than approve abortion

Dec. 21, 2024 10:13 AM EST

ROME (AP) — The Vatican has taken the first main step to implement Pope Francis’ wish that Belgium’s late king be beatified for having abdicated for a day rather than approve legislation to legalize abortion. The Holy See’s saint-making office on Dec. 17 established a...

Trump to nominate the head of Catholic advocacy group as US ambassador to the Vatican

Dec. 20, 2024 15:21 PM EST

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump on Friday said he's nominating the president of the advocacy group CatholicVote to be the U.S. ambassador to the Vatican. Brian Burch is the president and co-founder of CatholicVote. He and his wife, Sara, have nine children...

White House says Biden will visit Pope Francis, Meloni in final international trip of his presidency

Dec. 19, 2024 18:35 PM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will travel to Italy next month to meet with Pope Francis and top Italian officials for what is expected to be the final international trip of his presidency. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Thursday that Biden will also...

What to stream: MrBeast jumps to TV, Little Big Town's holiday special and Squid Game: Unleashed

Dec. 16, 2024 00:15 AM EST

The griping Vatican-based thriller “Conclave” about picking a new pope and Stephanie Hsu starring in the dark comedy “Laid” as a woman whose former lovers keep unexpectedly dying are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you. Also among...

Pope calls for debt reduction for poorer countries to mark the Vatican's 2025 Jubilee Year

Dec. 12, 2024 07:19 AM EST

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis on Thursday called on wealthy countries and institutions to substantially reduce if not outright cancel debt as a matter of justice on the occasion of the Vatican's 2025 Jubilee Year. In a message for world peace, Francis referred to St. John Paul...

Vatican's keffiyeh Nativity scene raises eyebrows and then disappears — at least until Christmas Eve

Dec. 11, 2024 13:21 PM EST

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis presided over his weekly general audience Wednesday alongside a Palestinian-crafted Nativity scene that was missing its eyebrow-raising signature element: a keffiyeh-draped manger holding the infant Jesus. The wooden Nativity scene in the...

Pope creates 21 cardinals, many of them reformers in their own right, to carry out his reform plans

Dec. 07, 2024 12:33 PM EST

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis on Saturday installed 21 new cardinals, many of whom are key figures in his reform agenda: A Dominican preacher who acted as the spiritual father for Francis' recent gathering of bishops, a Neapolitan “street priest” like himself, and a Peruvian bishop who has...

Pope Francis presides over ceremony for new cardinals with wide bruise on his chin

Dec. 07, 2024 12:29 PM EST

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis was seen with a significant bruise on his chin Saturday, but presided over a ceremony to install new cardinals without apparent problems. A Vatican spokesman said later Saturday that the bruise was caused by a contusion on Friday morning, when...

Pope Francis discusses Ukraine with Hungary's nationalist leader Viktor Orban

Dec. 04, 2024 05:45 AM EST

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis met Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban at the Vatican on Wednesday and discussed with him the war in Ukraine, focusing on the humanitarian situation and efforts to promote peace in the region. Francis also discussed other themes with Orban,...