Vatican City, Holy See | AFP | Pope Francis on Wednesday created five new cardinals in a Vatican ceremony that, while deeply traditional in form, also reflected his vision of a reshaped Church for the 21st century. Four of the five new cardinals come from countries that have never had …
Read More »Pope aide Pell charged with multiple child sex abuse in Australia
Sydney, Australia | AFP | Cardinal George Pell, one of the most powerful figures in the Vatican and Australia’s most senior Catholic, was Thursday charged with historical child sex offences, which he “strenuously denied”. Pell, the Vatican’s finance chief and the highest-ranking Catholic cleric to face such charges, had been …
Read More »Pope sends funds to hunger-struck S.Sudan
Vatican City, Holy See | AFP | Pope Francis is supporting a series of aid projects in South Sudan, the Vatican said Wednesday, sending money in his place after a trip to the war-torn country was ruled out. The Vatican will donate 462,000 euros ($515,000), which will be divided among …
Read More »Trump commits $300 million to fight Africa famine
Vatican City, Holy See | AFP | US President Donald Trump told Pope Francis on Wednesday he was committing more than $300 million (270 million euros) to help prevent or tackle famine in Yemen and several countries in Africa. Trump, meeting the pontiff for the first time, said he …
Read More »‘What do you feed him on? Potica?’ Pope Francis asked Melania
Pope risks joke about Trump’s size Vatican City, Holy See | AFP | It could have caused a diplomatic incident but a culinary quip from Pope Francis seemed to have gone down well with Donald Trump and his wife Melania. In one of the lighter moments of his meeting with …
Read More »All smiles, in public at least, as Trump meets Pope Francis
Vatican City, Holy See | AFP | US President Donald Trump met Pope Francis at the Vatican on Wednesday in a keenly-anticipated face-to-face encounter between two world leaders who have clashed repeatedly. The private audience with the pontiff, which lasted just under half an hour, was preceded by a handshake …
Read More »Gloves off as Trump heads to Vatican
Vatican City, Holy See | AFP | Billionaire President Donald Trump heads to the Vatican on Wednesday to meet man-of-the-poor Pope Francis, with all eyes on whether they will end their sparring to find common ground. The two leaders have been at odds over issues from migration to climate change, …
Read More »Pope Francis to receive Donald Trump on May 24: Vatican
Vatican City, Holy See | AFP | Pope Francis will receive US President Donald Trump at the Vatican on May 24, the Holy See said Thursday, ahead of a G7 summit meeting in Sicily. Trump’s audience with Francis in the morning will be followed by meetings with his Secretary of …
Read More »Christian pilgrims commemorate Good Friday in Jerusalem
Jerusalem, Undefined | AFP | Thousands of Christians from around the world marked Good Friday in Jerusalem’s Old City, retracing the steps Jesus Christ is believed to have taken carrying his cross to his crucifixion. It was also marked in various cities across the world. Through the Old City’s …
Read More »EASTER: Pope Francis washes feet of former mafiosi
Pope washes feet of mafia snitches in Easter ritual Vatican City, Holy See | AFP | Pope Francis washed the feet of former mafiosi on Thursday in a prison known for housing inmates who have informed on old mobster allies. The closed-door visit to Paliano prison outside Rome saw the …
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