Latest Vatican City News
Catholic bishops urged to boldly share church teachings — even unpopular ones
BALTIMORE (AP) — Several U.S. Catholic bishops on Wednesday encouraged the church to boldly share Vatican teachings on a range of hot-button issues, including the condemnation of abortion, euthanasia, surrogacy and gender-affirming surgery. The prelates acknowledged theirs is often...
Vatican, Microsoft create AI-generated St. Peter's Basilica to allow virtual visits, log damage
VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican and Microsoft on Monday unveiled a digital twin of St. Peter’s Basilica that uses artificial intelligence to explore one of the world’s most important monument’s while helping the Holy See manage visitor flows and identify conservation problems. ...
Fans flood @Pontifex account after it inadvertantly cites New Orleans Saints amid dreadful season
ROME (AP) — The New Orleans Saints may be one of the worst teams in the NFL this season, but at least they can count on continued prayers from Pope Francis. The pope – or at least someone in the Vatican communications office – has been inadvertently rooting for the Saints since...
Vatican tribunal explains conviction of cardinal and others in 'trial of the century'
NEW YORK (AP) — The Vatican tribunal said Wednesday it convicted a cardinal of aggravated fraud and other charges because of his “objectively inexplicable behavior” in paying a self-styled intelligence analyst over a half-million euros in Vatican money that she then spent on luxury items and...
Pope's child protection board urges transparency from Vatican sex abuse office and compensation
Pope Francis' child protection board called Tuesday for victims of clergy sexual abuse to have greater access to information about their cases and the right to compensation, in the first-ever global assessment of the Catholic Church’s efforts to address the crisis. The Pontifical...
A thriller about electing a pope draws crowds at the Rome Film Festival near the Vatican
ROME (AP) — With Pope Francis a few weeks away from his 88th birthday, the plotting for his successor is well underway at the Vatican. How timely, then, that just across town in Rome, “ Conclave ” a thriller filled with back-stabbing, manipulative cardinals, quick to toss...
Pope Francis' Catholic church reform process ends without giving more equity to women
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis' yearslong process to reform the Catholic Church closed Saturday with recommendations that fell short of giving women more equity as hoped, but reflected the pope’s aims for a church that at least listens more to its followers. In a significant...
Pope Francis denounces a world 'losing its heart' in 4th encyclical of his papacy
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis issued the fourth encyclical of his papacy on Thursday, denouncing a world that “is losing its heart” during times of global turmoil marked by “wars, socio-economic disparities and the uses of technology that threaten our humanity.” The...
The Czech Republic becomes one of last EU countries to sign a treaty with the Vatican
PRAGUE (AP) — The Czech Republic signed a treaty over its relations with the Vatican on Thursday, becoming one of the last European Union countries to do so. The lower chamber of Parliament rejected the treaty in 2003, saying the Catholic Church would receive preferential treatment...
'Conclave' and Ralph Fiennes go for the (papal) throne
NEW YORK (AP) — Robert Harris had just completed a trilogy of novels about Cicero when he watched the election of Pope Benedict live on television. As a chronicler of power and its mutations, the scene — the Sistine Chapel smoke signaling a decision, of course, but also the whole, secretive...
