ROME, Italy — Pope Francis has changed the name of St. Peter’s Basilica to “Tiber Creek Community Church,” Vatican spokesperson Fr. Federico Lombardi announced this morning. “The greatest church of Christendom, built on the holy grave of the martyr-prince of the Apostles, has been known as ‘St. Peter’s Basilica’ for 1700 years,” Fr. Lombardi explained. “It was long overdue for Read more
Posts Tagged ‘Vatican’
Vatican states Church doesn’t formally try to convert Jews
Tuesday, December 15th, 2015
A new Vatican document has affirmed that the Catholic Church does not support any institutional mission to convert Jews. Marking 50 years of Catholic-Jewish dialogue since Vatican II, the Pontifical Council for Religious Relations with Jews has published “The Gifts and Calling of God are Irrevocable”. The document states that Catholics are called to witness Read more
Vatican secretary of state to be witness in trial
Tuesday, December 15th, 2015A Vatican court has ruled that the Holy See’s secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, will be called as a witness in a trial over leaked documents. Five people, including two journalists, are standing trial for the alleged leaking and dissemination of documents revealing mismanagement of the Holy See’s finances. On December 7, court a Read more
Vatican embassy for Hobbiton?
Friday, December 11th, 2015Has the former Vatican embassy in Wellington been snapped up by Sir Peter Jackson? The large brick building, which is located off Queens Dr in Lyall Bay, is surrounded by high trees and gates with signs warning people not to enter. On Tuesday a neighbour said rumours were circulating that Jackson was the new owner. Continue Read more
Tuilaepa has meeting with Pope Francis
Tuesday, December 8th, 2015
Pope Francis received Samoa’s prime minister, Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi, in audience on December 3. Following the audience, Malielegaoi met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State, and Msgr. Antoine Camilleri, the Under-Secretary for Relations with States. The discussion focused on some aspects of the social and economic life of Samoa. The valued Read more
In Kenya, Francis admits corruption in the Vatican
Tuesday, December 1st, 2015
Pope Francis has advised Kenyan young people to resist the temptations of corruption which affects all aspects of life, and is present in the Vatican. Francis said corruption is not only present in politics but almost everywhere, including the institution he leads. “Even in the Vatican there are cases of corruption,” he said. Francis’s comments Read more
Evangelisation congregation denies mismanaging property
Friday, November 27th, 2015
The Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples strongly denied accusations of cronyism in renting out properties in Rome. The Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples promotes evangelisation and missionary cooperation around the globe and has special responsibility for bishops, dioceses and developing jurisdictions in Africa, the Far East and parts of the Pacific and Latin Read more
The Holy See, a bulwark against the clash of civilisations
Tuesday, November 24th, 2015
In the last quarter century, since the fall of the Berlin Wall redrew the map of the world, the Holy See was the only global institution that firmly and clearly opposed the so-called clash of civilisations. Many in the West and the Middle East sought this clash of civilisations due to economic, territorial and political Read more
Vatican Christmas tree early for jubilee
Friday, November 20th, 2015The Vatican’s Christmas tree will be unveiled early this year in order to coincide with the jubilee Year of Mercy. The 32-metre spruce tree from Bavaria was erected on November 18 in St Peter’s Square. It will be unveiled on December 8, a date when world attention will be on Rome at the start of Read more
Pregnancy may have aided woman arrested over Vatican leaks
Tuesday, November 10th, 2015
The woman arrested in connection with the leaking of confidential Vatican documents may have been released early because she is pregnant. Francesca Immacolata Chaouqui, 33, and Msgr Lucio Angel Vallejo Balda, 54, were arrested by the Vatican Gendarmerie following an investigation. Their arrests came days before the publication of two books about Vatican finances and Read more