Tag: Vatican
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Pope Leone XIV celebrates 70th birthday amid worldwide prayers and tributes
Pope Leone XIV marked his 70th birthday on Sunday, drawing heartfelt messages of gratitude and prayer from Church leaders, civil authorities, and communities across the globe. At the Vatican, Cardinal Pietro Parolin assured the Pope of the Curia’s closeness, thanking him for his “tireless witness to the Gospel” and pledging prayers for his health. Italy’s…
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Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati to be canonised together in September
Pope Leone XIV has announced that Blessed Carlo Acutis and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati will be canonised together on Sunday, 7th September 2025, during a joint ceremony at the Vatican. The announcement was made today during an ordinary consistory. Acutis, originally set to be canonised in April, and Frassati, whose date was expected in August,…
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Habemus Papam! Robert Prevost of USA elected as the 267th successor of Saint Peter
At 18:08 this evening, white smoke rose above the Sistine Chapel, signaling that the 133 cardinal electors, after two days of prayer and deliberation under Michelangelo’s iconic frescoes, have elected Robert Francis Prevost of USA, now the 267th Bishop of Rome and leader of the global Catholic Church. This moment follows the death of Pope…
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Black smoke signals no pope yet as conclave begins in Vatican
The search for the 267th Bishop of Rome continues after black smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel chimney on Wednesday evening, indicating that no candidate secured the required two-thirds majority in the first round of voting. The conclave officially began at 5:46 pm with the traditional “Extra omnes” proclamation by Archbishop Diego Ravelli, Master of…
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Conclave begins as cardinals seek bridge-building pope
The largest and most unpredictable conclave in modern history begins today, Wednesday, at 10am, with a public Holy Mass at St Peter’s Basilica. Under Michelangelo’s The Last Judgment ceiling fresco, 133 cardinal-electors from around the globe will then enter the Sistine Chapel to choose a successor to Pope Francis. With the College of Cardinals more…
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Vatican installs conclave chimney ahead of 7th May papal election
Preparations for the upcoming papal conclave are underway as the Vatican fire brigade has installed the chimney atop the Sistine Chapel – the traditional signal to the world of a new pope’s election. On 7th May, the cardinal-electors will begin the secret voting process to choose the next leader of the Catholic Church. From that…
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Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin outed as China’s favourite to become Pope
A previous high-ranking Chinese government and party official has outed the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin as China’s favourite to become the next Pope. Du Wen described Cardinal Pietro Parolin as “pro-communist”. This information was revealed by Du Wen, a Chinese Christian who once served as the legal advisor to China’s current Vice-Prime…
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Vatican announces 7th May start for conclave to elect new Pope
The Vatican announced on Monday that the conclave to elect the next pope will begin on 7th May. The decision came after scores of cardinals gathered to determine when the cardinal-electors would meet in the Sistine Chapel to choose a successor to Pope Francis, who passed away last week at the age of 88. Only…
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Zelensky hails good meeting with Trump at the Vatican
President Volodymyr Zelensky held a one-to-one talk with President Donald Trump in the Vatican before the funeral of Pope Francis. President Zelensky thanked President Trump for the good meeting and said that it could lead to historic results with an unconditional ceasefire and lasting peace. Ukraine has submitted its proposals for a ceasefire to the…
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Maltese Cardinal Mario Grech described as a Papal candidate by the foreign press
The only Maltese Cardinal at the Vatican, Cardinal Mario Grech is being described as a possible candidate for the Papacy by the foreign press. However, he is not listed among major bookmakers and betting platforms as a potential favourite. Two favourite cardinals among betters right now are Italian cardinal Pietro Parolin and Filipino cardinal Luis…
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World leaders and thousands gather in Rome for historic farewell to Pope Francis
Security was heightened at the Vatican for the funeral of Pope Francis, with surveillance drones deployed around St. Peter’s Square and thousands of police and security personnel on duty. Over 50 heads of state and dignitaries traveled to Rome to pay their respects. Among the early visitors to the Basilica were Argentina’s President Javier Milei,…
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Did US Vice-President JD Vance lie about getting invited to meet the Pope?
The US Vice-President JD Vance may have publicly lied about getting invited to meet the Pope. Although a formal invitation would have been sent by the Vatican for the Sunday visit to take place, the invitation may have come after pressure from the US government to hold the meeting. Prior to JD Vance’s arrival in…
