Vatican

Pope washes feet of young detainees in ritual

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis washed the feet of a dozen inmates at a juvenile detention center in a Holy Thursday ritual that he celebrated for years as archbishop and is continuing now that he is pope. Two of the 12 were young women, an unusual choice.

2013/03/28

Pope Francis tells Benedict: ‘We’re brothers’

CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (AP) – The two men in white embraced and showed one another the deference owed a pope in ways that surely turned Vatican protocol upside down: A reigning pope telling a retired one, “We are brothers,”

2013/03/23

Pope Francis kneels in prayer in front of the icon of the Virgin Mary inside St. Mary Major Basilica, Rome, Italy, Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano. (AP Photo)

New pope’s views bind simplicity with ‘complexity’

VATICAN CITY (AP) — At gatherings of Latin American bishops, then-Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio was often a star speaker about economic inequities in a profit-driven world.

2013/03/14

Crowd disappointed by black smoke, but Vatican spokesman says consensus takes time

VATICAN CITY (AP) — The sight of thick black smoke from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel is bringing sighs of disappointment from the thousands of people who’ve gathered there in the rainy, chilly weather, waiting for news that a new pope has been elected.

2013/03/13

Three urns designed by artist Cecco Bonanotte to be used to collect ballots during the Vatican conclave. (AP Photo)

Black smoke from chapel chimney: No pope yet

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Black smoke has poured from the Sistine Chapel chimney, signaling that cardinals have failed to elect a pope on their first try. See a video clip here.

2013/03/12

Cardinals count down to conclave with final talks

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Cardinals gathered for their final day of talks Monday before the conclave to elect the next pope, amid debate over whether the Catholic Church needs more of a manager pope to clean up the Vatican or a pastoral pope.

2013/03/11

Vatican still waiting for 5 cardinals for conclave

VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Sistine Chapel closed to visitors on Tuesday and construction work got under way to prepare it for the conclave that will choose the next pope, but five cardinals had yet to arrive for the preparatory meetings.

2013/03/05

Pope Benedict XVI greets crowd from window at Castel Gandolfo after leaving the Vatican, Castelgandolfo, Italy. (AP Photo)

Benedict becomes 1st pope in 600 years to resign

CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (AP) — Pope Benedict XVI left the Catholic Church in unprecedented limbo Thursday as he became the first pope in 600 years to resign, capping a tearful day of farewells that included an extraordinary pledge of obedience to his successor.

2013/02/28

Pope Benedict XVI holds the ostensory, New Year's Eve service, Vatican (AP Photo)

Vatican blasts ‘false’ pre-conclave reporting

VATICAN CITY (AP) – The Vatican lashed out Saturday at the media for what it said has been a run of defamatory and false reports before the conclave to elect Pope Benedict XVI’s successor, saying they were an attempt to influence the election.

2013/02/23

Litany of secrets after papal retirement bombshell

VATICAN CITY (AP) — For an institution devoted to eternal light, the Vatican has shown itself to be a master of smokescreens since Pope Benedict XVI’s shocking resignation announcement.

2013/02/14

Listen Live!