Vatican City

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Naked Protester Turns Up Inside St. Peter's Basilica

He was apparently protesting Russia's invasion of Ukraine at Vatican City site

(Newser) - Visitors to Vatican City on Thursday got an unexpected sight—a man climbed onto the main altar of St. Peter's Basilica and took off his clothes just before the church was ready to close, reports Reuters . The stunt was evidently a protest against Russia, because a message on the...

Car Rushes Vatican Gate, Is Fired On by Armed Guards

Driver was apprehended quickly after Thursday night incident

(Newser) - A car driven by someone with apparent psychiatric problems rushed through a Vatican gate Thursday evening and sped past Swiss Guards into a palace courtyard before the driver was apprehended by police, the Holy See said. Vatican gendarmes fired a shot at the speeding car’s front tires after it...

Vatican Butler in 'Vatileaks' Scandal Dies
Butler Who Leaked
Pope's Papers Dies
OBITUARY
Nov 27, 2020 7:26 AM CST

Butler Who Leaked Pope's Papers Dies

Paolo Gabriele says Holy Spirit guided him to expose corruption

(Newser) - Paolo Gabriele said he loved Pope Benedict XVI "as a son loves a father"—and he leaked the pope's papers to the media "out of visceral love for the church of Christ and for its visible head on Earth." The Vatican says Gabriele, the pope'...

Trump Not the Only World Leader Not Wearing a Mask

Pope Francis seen kissing priests at Vatican event without mask on

(Newser) - Pope Francis is back giving out kisses without a mask as coronavirus cases rise across Italy. The 83-year-old—who lost part of a lung during a childhood illness—was seen kissing the hands of newly-ordained priests during a general audience in Vatican City on Wednesday, reports the Daily Beast . He...

A 'Historic First' From Pope, With No One There to See It

Francis offered rare blessing to an empty St. Peter's Square, calling coronavirus a 'tempest'

(Newser) - The "Urbi et Orbi" ("To the City and the World") prayer recited by the pope is typically only offered on three occasions: on Christmas, on Easter, and when a new pontiff is chosen. On Friday, however, Pope Francis climbed the steps of St. Peter's Basilica in...

They Opened 2 Tombs to Solve One Mystery, Created a 2nd
Vatican Opens 2 Tombs
in Hunt for Long-Missing Teen
the rundown
Jul 11, 2019 10:45 AM CDT

Vatican Opens 2 Tombs in Hunt for Long-Missing Teen

Remains of Emanuela Orlandi aren't there, and neither are those of original bodies

(Newser) - Emanuela Orlandi is still missing—and now two long-dead princesses are, too. Emanuela was an Italian teenager who disappeared more than 30 years ago, and the Vatican on Thursday opened two 19th-century tombs after the family got a tip she might be buried in one of them. They found nothing,...

At Easter Vigil, Pope Draws Line on Wealth

Pope Francis urges people not to 'bury hope'

(Newser) - At an Easter vigil in St. Peter's Basilica, Pope Francis on Saturday encouraged people to resist cynicism or pursuing the "glitter of wealth," and to avoid seeking life's meaning in "things that pass away." "Do not bury hope!" Francis exclaimed, after noting...

Judge Rules Tiny 'Warrior' Can't Go to Rome for More Treatment

UK High Court judge says nothing else can help Alfie Evans; his parents are appealing

(Newser) - A UK High Court judge may have deemed his decision Tuesday "the final chapter" in the case of little Alfie Evans, but Alfie's parents aren't ready to accept that ending. The BBC and Guardian report on the court's ruling that the seriously ill 23-month-old—who suffers...

Trump to Pope: 'It's a Great Honor'
Trump, Pope Exchange Gifts
May 24, 2017 4:53 AM CDT

Trump, Pope Exchange Gifts

'It's a great honor,' president tells pontiff

(Newser) - President Trump met Pope Francis privately Wednesday morning and observers could detect no sign of discord between the president and the man he has clashed with on issues including climate change and immigration. After the talk, which lasted between 20 and 30 minutes, Francis gave Trump gifts, including a copy...

Bernie Sanders Accepts Invitation to the Vatican

He'll attend a conference on social, economic, environmental issues

(Newser) - Bernie Sanders said Friday he will attend a Vatican City conference on social, economic, and environmental issues next week, making the symbolic overseas trip ahead of a pivotal New York primary against Hillary Clinton. The Vermont senator has long been an admirer of Pope Francis on issues of wealth inequality...

Argument About Vatican Having Walls Not Quite Right

Vatican City isn't surrounded by them

(Newser) - When Pope Francis suggested Donald Trump's plan to build a wall between the US and Mexico was "not Christian," Trump's senior adviser shot back. "Amazing comments from the pope—considering Vatican City is 100% surrounded by massive walls," Dan Scavino tweeted Thursday. Rush Limbaugh...

Justin Bieber Gets Scolded by the Vatican

For kicking a soccer ball around its halls

(Newser) - Justin Bieber is apparently still not over his " annoying teenager " phase, and his latest unholy behavior reportedly got him reprimanded by the Vatican. CTV News reports that Bieber took a private after-hours tour of Vatican City earlier this month, including visits to the Vatican Museums and the Papal...

Vatican City Beats Every Country—at Drinking Wine

Consumes more wine per capita than any other country

(Newser) - If you're a big fan of wine and would like to be surrounded by apparently like-minded people, consider moving to Vatican City. Despite its small size, or perhaps because of it, it manages to consume more wine per capita than any other country, according to the Wine Institute. How...

Man Sets Self Ablaze at Vatican

Now in hospital with 'serious burns,' condition 'grave'

(Newser) - A man is in "grave" condition after he doused himself in gasoline and set himself on fire in St. Peter's Square today around 8:30am local time, ANSA reports. The 51-year-old man was treated at a nearby hospital, then transferred to a larger one, with serious burns to...

Pope Shuns Palace Dwelling
 Pope Shuns Palace Apartment 
Mar 27, 2013 12:39 AM CDT

Pope Shuns Palace Apartment

He opts for hotel room over 12-room papal dwelling

(Newser) - Pope Francis, much like his saintly namesake, is keeping things simple. He has shunned the fancy robes favored by his predecessor, and now he's broken with a tradition more than a century old by declining to move into the grand papal apartment in the Vatican's Apostolic Palace, Reuters...

At Inaugural, Francis Calls for Protection of Planet, Poor

New pope tours St. Peter's Square in open-top Jeep

(Newser) - Pope Francis officially kicked off his papacy today with a call to protect the planet and its poor, in a "low-key" yet dignitary-stuffed inaugural Mass that installed him as the Catholic Church's 266th pontiff. “Let us never forget that authentic power is service and that the pope,...

'Green' Pope Gets First Electric Car

Pontiff presented with electric Kangoo

(Newser) - Pope Benedict XVI can now pootle around the grounds of his summer residence in an electric car. The pontiff—who has paid more attention to environmental issues than his predecessors—was presented with the customized white Kangoo by Renault, AP reports. The automaker has already given electric Kangoos to the...

Vatican Slammed With $19M Deficit

2011 figures blamed on market troubles, high costs

(Newser) - After a rare surplus in 2010, last year saw the Vatican's biggest deficit in years: $19 million, the AP reports. The figure comes despite bigger donations from dioceses around the world and the Vatican bank's $62 million donation to the pope. Officials say weak markets—particularly in real...

Mobster's Tomb Opened in Quest to Solve Vatican Mystery

Bones removed from Roman basilica in search for missing teen

(Newser) - Italian cops cracked open the jewel-encrusted tomb of a murdered mob boss yesterday in a bid to solve the 1983 disappearance of a Vatican employee's teenage daughter. Experts opened the casket of Enrico de Pedis inside the crypt of a prestigious Roman basilica and discovered that he was the...

Vatican Transfers Corruption Whistleblower

Vatican confirms letters penned by whistleblower, calls reports 'banal'

(Newser) - Italy is reeling from news last night that a high-ranking official of Vatican City who tried to blow the whistle on corruption was ignored and was forced to transfer positions, reports Reuters . Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, who was the No. 2 man at Vatican City in charge of maintaining the...

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