Vatican City

Vatican artists can produce secular works

21 May 2013

For most people, the relationship between contemporary art and the Vatican, home of some of the world's greatest old masterpieces, is like oil and water - they just don't mix.

10:10AM

Pope Francis sets free two caged white doves

16 May 2013

Two doves celebrated their freedom with a soaring flight over St Peter's Square yesterday, all thanks to Pope Francis. As Francis toured the square in his open-topped popemobile at his weekly...

2:06AM

Former Pope Benedict back at Vatican to live out retirement

3 May 2013

Benedict XVI moved back to the Vatican on Thursday, opening an uncertain era in Catholic Church history where an “emeritus pope” and a ruling pontiff will live as neighbours for the first time.

1:32AM

Pope Francis attacks greedy capitalists and prays for peace in Easter address

31 Mar 2013

Pope Francis gave an unexpected twist to the annual pontifical appeal for peace yesterday when he used it to denounce "greed looking for easy gain".

10:31AM

Pope leads traditional Good Friday rite at Rome Colosseum

30 Mar 2013

Thousands of people holding candles turned out at Rome’s Colosseum to see Pope Francis mark the first Good Friday of his pontificate with a traditional “Way of the Cross” procession around the...

10:22AM

Taiwan row a first diplomatic test for Pope Francis

19 Mar 2013

Beijing’s angry reaction to Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou’s attendance at the inauguration of Pope Francis on Tuesday is the first taste of a long-running dispute that the new Argentine pontiff...

2:45PM

5 comments

Opinion

Howard Winn

Ferry companies shouldn't be subsidised while they burn dirty fuel

2:53AM

Shirley Yam

What were our top officials doing to let HKMEx fail?

5 comments

3:37AM

Papal name Francis honours saint who brought Catholicism to Asia

In addition to being the first non-European pope for almost 13 centuries, the new pope's choice of name sets him apart - and establishes a link to the South China coast.

3:24AM

Victims of clergy sexual abuse say millions of children remain at risk

Victims of clergy sexual abuse urged newly-elected Pope Francis to reform the Catholic Church and declare "zero tolerance" for sex crimes as his first official act.

3:17AM

India is Asia's unlikely power broker in election for new pope

India's Catholics may account for less than 2 per cent of the country's population but they will be Asia's most powerful voice in the election to choose a new pope.

6:00AM

CATHOLIC CHURCH

Cardinals begin pre-conclave talks in Vatican

Catholic cardinals begin talks on Monday ahead of a conclave to elect the next pope, following Benedict XVI’s historic resignation, as a British cardinal not in attendance admitted to sexual...

8:28PM

THE VATICAN

Vatican says conclave for next pope may come early

Vatican spokesman the Reverent Federico Lombardi said that Vatican rules on papal succession are open to interpretation and that “this is a question that people are discussing.”

12:03PM

Vatican defends ivory record with elephant lovers

The Vatican defended itself on Wednesday against accusations it encourages illegal ivory trafficking, telling elephant lovers it would do what it could to help combat “a serious and unjustifiable...

10:32PM