Here is the text of the Pope Francis’ extraordinary “Urbi et Orbi” (“To the City and the World”) address delivered Friday, March 27, at St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City. “When evening had come.” The Gospel passage we have just heard begins like this. For weeks now it has been evening. Thick darkness has gathered over […]
COVID-19 is not God’s judgment, but a call to live differently, pope says
By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The worldwide coronavirus pandemic is not God’s judgment on humanity, but God’s call on people to judge what is most important to them and resolve to act accordingly from now on, Pope Francis said. Addressing God, the pope said that “it is not the time […]
Back to the Sistine: Raphael’s precious tapestries briefly return to the chapel for which they were made 500 years ago
By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — An artistic masterpiece conceived by the Renaissance master Raphael was on display for one week in the Sistine Chapel to help celebrate the 500th anniversary of the artist’s death. “It’s an important moment” and a way to celebrate a truly great artist, Barbara Jatta, director of […]
Photo: Aloha from Hawaii
Pope Francis greets Bishop Larry Silva during his ad limina visit to the Vatican on Jan. 27. The bishop presented the pope with a wrapped gift of chocolate-covered macadamia nuts from the Hawaii Carmelite nuns. (CNS Photo/Vatican Media)
Roaming Rome (and other places)
By Anna Weaver Hawaii Catholic Herald Bishop Larry Silva accompanied by Msgr. Gary Secor, vicar general, was in Italy from Jan. 19 to Feb. 2, primarily for his ad limina visit to the Vatican and Pope Francis. While they were abroad, Msgr. Secor sent back photos and updates of their adventures. Here are some of […]
Vatican unveils its Nativity scene, lights Christmas tree
By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — The Vatican unveiled the Nativity scene and lit the Christmas tree with energy-saving lights in St. Peter’s Square during a late afternoon ceremony Dec. 5. The 85-foot-tall spruce tree came from the forests of the Veneto region in northeast Italy and another 20 smaller trees were […]
With papal decree, Vatican Archives no longer ‘secret’
By Junno Arocho Esteves Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Citing the negative misinterpretations that the word “secret” implies, Pope Francis has changed the name of the Vatican Secret Archives to the Vatican Apostolic Archives. In a decree, issued “motu proprio,” on the pope’s own initiative, and published by the Vatican Oct. 28, the pope […]
Bones do not belong to missing woman
By Junno Arocho Esteves Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — The Vatican press office said that the results of a morphological analysis of bones and bone fragments found at an ossuary in a Vatican cemetery concluded that none belonged to Emanuela Orlandi, a young Italian woman who has been missing for more than 30 years. […]
Forensic experts to study ‘thousands of bones’ found in Vatican ossuaries
By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — During a search for the remains of a young Italian woman missing for more than 30 years, workers discovered an enormous number of bones inside two ossuaries in a building next to a Vatican cemetery. Further studies on the remains will be carried out starting July […]
Vatican Museums loan Leonardo painting for anniversary display
By Carol Zimmermann Catholic News Service WASHINGTON — The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York is marking the 500th anniversary of the death of Leonardo da Vinci with a painting by the artist that will draw crowds but also pay solemn tribute to the larger-than-life Italian Renaissance painter, architect and inventor. “Saint Jerome Praying […]