Benedict’s exit changed expectations that the papacy would always be a lifetime assignment, fueling speculation the current pope has tried to push away.
Tag: Francis
Pelosi Received Communion at Vatican After Meeting With Pope
The sacrament has become a political issue, with conservative American bishops like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s own priest, who has said he will deny her the sacrament until she stops publicly supporting abortion rights.
Vatican Releases Letters From Jews Pleading for Help During the Holocaust
Pope Francis has ordered files containing requests for assistance from people throughout Europe, many of them converts to Roman Catholicism, to be made available online.
Vatican Signals Pope Will Keep His Plan to Visit Canada for Apology
Francis plans to deliver a long-sought apology to Indigenous people for the church’s role in a residential school system where abuse was rife.
Federico Carboni Becomes Italy’s First Assisted Suicide
The man, Federico Carboni, overcame a series of legal and bureaucratic challenges before ending his life.
Pope Francis Postpones Trip to Africa, Citing Knee Problems
The postponement of the trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan comes as speculation swirls that the pontiff may be thinking of stepping down.
Pope Francis Announces 21 New Cardinals
The new “princes of the church” hail from places like India, Nigeria, Singapore and South Korea. They will be among those who help choose a new pope.
Deep in Vatican Archives, Scholar Discovers ‘Flabbergasting’ Secrets
David Kertzer has spent decades excavating the Vatican’s hidden history, with his work winning a Pulitzer and capturing Hollywood’s attention. A new book examines Pope Pius XII’s role in the Holocaust.
The Russian Orthodox Leader at the Core of Putin’s Ambitions
Patriarch Kirill I has provided spiritual cover for the invasion of Ukraine, reaping vast resources for his church in return. Now, in an extraordinary step, the E.U. is threatening him with sanctions.
Pope Approved Secret Deal to Free Abducted Nun, Cardinal Says
A formerly top-ranking cardinal testified Thursday that the pope said he could spend up to one million euros to secure the release of a nun kidnapped by Islamic militants.