Pope Benedict XVI News

Pope conducts mass for thousands of faithful in Nazareth (2nd Lead)

May 14, 2009, 8:22 GMT

Nazareth, Israel - Tens of thousands of Catholics gathered at Mount Precipice, outside Nazareth, Thursday morning, to attend the final, and largest, mass Pope Benedict XVI was to conduct during his five-day tour of Israel and the Palestinian territories. ... more

Pope calls for independent Palestinian state (2nd Lead)

May 13, 2009, 8:56 GMT

Bethlehem, West Bank - Pope Benedict XVI began the Palestinian leg of his five-day tour of the Holy Land Wednesday by expressing unequivocal support for an independent Palestinian state - and urging young Palestinians to renounce violence against Israelis. ... more

In pictures: 'Pope Benedict XVI Continues Visit to Israel'

May 12, 2009, 16:19 GMT

We have added a new set of pictures from the event 'Pope Benedict XVI Continues Visit to Israel.' ... more

In photos: 'Pope Benedict XVI Visits Israel'

May 11, 2009, 18:44 GMT

We have added a new set of images from the event 'Pope Benedict XVI Visits Israel.' ... more

In photos: 'Prince Charles Meets Pope Benedict XVI'

Apr 27, 2009, 15:28 GMT

We have added a new set of images from the event 'Prince Charles Meets Pope Benedict XVI.' ... more

Pope Benedict ends Africa trip following rousing Angola welcome

Mar 23, 2009, 12:51 GMT

Luanda - Pope Benedict XVI left Africa on Monday after a week-long visit, which was marred at the outset by his controversial remarks over condoms but ended on a more positive note in Angola, where he was acclaimed by hundreds of thousands of Catholics. ... more

In photos: 'Pope Benedict XVI in Angola'

Mar 22, 2009, 17:24 GMT

We have added a new set of images from the event 'Pope Benedict XVI in Angola.' ... more

Angola's president excludes press from papal ceremony

Mar 20, 2009, 20:21 GMT

Luanda/Rome - The Angolese President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos on Friday is not allowing foreign press to formal visiting ceremony by Pope Benedict XVI despite a previous agreement. ... more

Pope lauds Christian and Muslim coexistence in Cameroon (Roundup)

Mar 19, 2009, 14:45 GMT

Yaounde - Pope Benedict XVI on Thursday held up the peaceful coexistence of Christians and Muslims in Cameroon as an example to the rest of Africa as he met leaders of Cameroon's Muslim minority. ... more

Pope calls on Cameroon bishops to help poor and guard family values

Mar 18, 2009, 13:34 GMT

Yaounde - Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday asked African bishops to protect family values and shield the poor from the effects of globalization as he began the second day of his first visit to Africa as pontiff. ... more

In photos: 'Pope Benedict XVI in Africa'

Mar 17, 2009, 18:58 GMT

We have added a new set of images from the event 'Pope Benedict XVI in Africa.' ... more

Pope and Britain's Gordon Brown discuss world economic crisis

Feb 19, 2009, 14:44 GMT

Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown met Thursday for talks that focused on the global economic crisis, the Vatican said in a statement. ... more

Vatican rebuts Merkel's criticism over Holocaust denier (Roundup)

Feb 3, 2009, 16:59 GMT

Vatican City/Berlin - The Vatican's chief spokesman rejected Tuesday criticism by German Chancellor Angela Merkel that the Roman Catholic Church had not spoken out clearly enough in rejection of Holocaust denial. ... more

Pope Benedict offers prayers for Obama's success

Jan 20, 2009, 15:30 GMT

Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI in a telegram on Tuesday offered US president-elect Barack Obama prayers that God may grant him 'unfailing wisdom and strength' in carrying out his new responsibilities. ... more

Vatican: Pope Benedict's book an antidote to The Da Vinci Code

Oct 6, 2008, 15:23 GMT

Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI's bestselling book, Jesus of Nazareth, can help thwart the 'confusion' caused by books such as US author Dan Brown's The Da Vinci code, a top Roman Catholic cleric suggested Monday. ... more

Pope Benedict XVI to visit New York and Washington in April

Nov 12, 2007, 21:21 GMT

Washington - Pope Benedict XVI will make his first visit to the United States in April, with stops in New York and Washington and appearances planned at the White House and the United Nations. ... more

Pope celebrates 80th birthday with his first published book

Apr 16, 2007, 13:12 GMT

This will be the first book for Pope Benedict XVI. He began writing it back in 2003 when he was still Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. ... more

Pope Benedict XVI: Europe, get busy having babies

Mar 24, 2007, 19:53 GMT

Europe's future is worrying Pope Benedict XVI.  The pontiff said Saturday a statement of warning against 'dangerous individualism' in the old continent, where less and less children are being born to Europeans. ... more

Pope warns of an identity crisis in Europe

Mar 24, 2007, 17:09 GMT

Rome - Pope Benedict XVI, speaking on the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome Saturday, warned of an 'identity crisis' in Europe. ... more

Christmas peace wish from the Pope

Dec 25, 2006, 0:36 GMT

VATICAN CITY - Pope Benedict XVI offered Christmas wishes for peace early Monday as he began the celebration of Midnight Mass in St. Peter's Basilica. ... more

Pope Benedict XVI angers Muslims during German visit

Sep 14, 2006, 21:22 GMT

Pope Benedict XVI is under fire by Muslim leaders for quoting perceived anti-Islamic comments during a speech at a German university.
... more

Security clampdown in Poland for Pope Benedict XVI

May 24, 2006, 13:36 GMT

Warsaw - Tight security was taking shape Wednesday in Poland ahead of the arrival Thursday morning of Pope Benedict XVI in Warsaw for his first formal four-day-long papal pilgrimage abroad. ... more

Pope reshuffles Curia, gives senior post to India's Cardinal Dias

May 20, 2006, 14:52 GMT

Rome - Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday appointed the archbishop of Mumbai, Cardinal Ivan Dias, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, according to the Vatican. ... more

Pope Benedict meets Queen Margrethe II of Denmark

May 19, 2006, 13:13 GMT

Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI on Friday met Queen Margrethe II of Denmark for a private audience at the Vatican. ... more

Pope Benedict XVI calls for reciprocity with Islam

May 15, 2006, 14:32 GMT

Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI on Monday called on Islamic countries to safeguard Catholics living there and on both Muslims and Catholics to show 'mutual respect' towards each other. ... more

Pope to travel to Spain in July

May 13, 2006, 15:49 GMT

Rome - Pope Benedict XVI plans to travel to Spain in July to take part in the Catholic Church's World Family Day in Valencia, the Vatican confirmed Saturday. ... more

Danish Pope visit

May 12, 2006, 16:07 GMT

Denmark's Queen Margrethe II will meet with Pope Benedict XVI later this month (05.06) ... more

Pope to include his birthplace in Germany tour in September

May 10, 2006, 16:48 GMT

Marktl, Germany - Pope Benedict XVI is to pay a brief visit to the small town where he was born, Marktl-am-Inn, during his September visit to Germany, the Catholic bishop of Passau, Wilhelm Schraml, disclosed Wednesday. ... more

Pope Benedict XVI thanks Swiss Guards for 500 years of service

May 6, 2006, 15:54 GMT

Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI at a papal mass in the Vatican Saturday marking the 500th anniversary of the Swiss Guards thanked the army for their centuries of service to the papacy. ... more

Europe at centre of Pope Benedict XVI-Barroso talks

May 5, 2006, 16:56 GMT

Vatican City - European Union enlargement and the difficult prospects currently facing the union lay at the centre of talks at the Vatican on Friday between Pope Benedict XVI and EU Commission head Jose Manuel Barroso. ... more

Pope Benedict XVI remembers Chernobyl nuclear disaster

Apr 26, 2006, 13:10 GMT

Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI recalled the Chernobyl nuclear disaster during his traditional mid-week general audience in St. Peter's Square on Wednesday, saying nuclear energy should serve peace and respect nature. ... more

Pope Benedict XVI marks first year in office

Apr 19, 2006, 11:37 GMT

Vatican City - The Vatican, Italy and Catholics around the world paid tribute Wednesday to Pope Benedict XVI on the first anniversary of his election as pontiff. ... more

One year on, Benedict is surprisingly popular, but problems remain

Apr 19, 2006, 11:36 GMT

Vatican City - Initially billed as a stern and somewhat unsympathetic intellectual, Joseph Ratzinger has proved surprisingly popular during his first year as Pope Benedict XVI. ... more

Pope Benedict invokes peace in Iraq, Middle East, Africa

Apr 16, 2006, 15:17 GMT

Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday called for peace in Iraq, the Holy Land and Africa and urged world leaders to work towards 'peaceful coexistence' so as to 'remove the threat of terrorism' after celebrating his first Easter Mass as pontiff in Rome's St. Peter's Square. ... more

Pope Benedict XVI celebrates first Easter ceremony (Roundup)

Apr 15, 2006, 23:24 GMT

Rome - Pope Benedict XVI early Sunday celebrated his first early morning Easter service as head of the Catholic church with the traditional vigil in St Peter's Basilica. ... more

Pope Benedict XVI continues first Easter celebrations

Apr 15, 2006, 15:11 GMT

Rome - Pope Benedict XVI was to continue his first Easter celebrations as head of the Catholic church with the traditional vigil in St Peter's Basilica on Saturday night. ... more

Pope Benedict XVI remembers John Paul II in Via Crucis

Apr 15, 2006, 1:28 GMT

Rome - Pope Benedict XVI paid tribute to his predecessor, John Paul II, as he led the Via Crucis procession in Rome Friday - his first since his election as head of the Roman Catholic Church one year ago. ... more

Pope Benedict XVI celebrates Holy Thursday rites

Apr 13, 2006, 17:53 GMT

Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI washed the feet of 12 men, a traditional gesture commemorating Jesus Christ's act of humility with his disciples, during Holy Thursday rites - his first since his election as pope one year ago. ... more

Pope Benedict XVI recalls slain priest as he begins Easter rites

Apr 13, 2006, 13:33 GMT

Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI recalled the sacrifice of an Italian priest killed by a Muslim extremist in Turkey last February as he began traditional Holy Thursday Easter rites in Rome's Basilica of St. Peter's. ... more

Vatican confirms route of Pope Benedict XVI May visit to Poland

Apr 8, 2006, 16:19 GMT

Warsaw - Pope Benedict XVI will pay his first official visit to Poland, homeland of his late predecessor Pope John Paul II, May 25-28, Papal Nuncio to Poland Archbishop Jozef Kowalczyk confirmed Saturday in Warsaw. ... more

Israel's Peres meets Pope Benedict XVI

Apr 6, 2006, 12:23 GMT

Vatican City - Israeli elder statesman Shimon Peres arrived in Rome ahead of a meeting Thursday with Pope Benedict XVI. ... more

Pope Benedict leads commemorative Mass for John Paul II

Apr 3, 2006, 17:29 GMT

Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI on Monday led a commemorative Mass for the late John Paul II in Rome's St. Peter's Square, a year and one day after his 'return to the House of the Father.' ... more

Catholic Church marks anniversary of John Paul II's death

Apr 2, 2006, 13:54 GMT

Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI recalled Sunday John Paul II's 'immense heritage' and his ability to 'touch the hearts of people' as Catholics in Rome and across the globe commemorated the first anniversary of the death of the late pontiff. ... more

Pope Benedict XVI quotes predecessor's 'spiritual testament'

Mar 26, 2006, 14:19 GMT

Rome - Pope Benedict XVI commemorated his predecessor on Sunday by quoting a passage on Christian love from a homely that the late John Paul II should have recited on April 3, 2005 - a day after his death last year. ... more

Pope Benedict elevates new cardinals in spectacular ceremony

Mar 24, 2006, 12:19 GMT

Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI called on his closest collaborators to help him bring 'new life to the Church' and achieve 'the full unity of Christians' during a spectacular ceremony formally installing 15 new cardinalsin St. Peter's Square on Friday. ... more

Pope Benedict XVI marks Lent with salute to religious leaders

Mar 1, 2006, 13:53 GMT

Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI marked the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday by greeting a delegation of Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders attending together his general audience at the Vatican. ... more

Pope Benedict XVI names 15 new cardinals

Feb 22, 2006, 19:15 GMT

Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday began to place his imprint on the Roman Catholic Church by naming 15 new cardinals, his first set of major appointments since his election 10 months ago. ... more

Pope Benedict, Lebanese PM discuss Prophet Mohammed cartoons

Feb 16, 2006, 17:44 GMT

Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI is believed to have condemned the publication of controversial cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed during a meeting Thursday with the Prime Minister of Lebanon, Fouad Siniora. ... more

Pope Benedict meets US First Lady Laura Bush

Feb 9, 2006, 12:36 GMT

Vatican City - US First Lady Laura Bush met Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican on Thursday on her way to Turin for Friday's visit of the Winter Olympics opening ceremony. ... more

'God is Love,' Pope Benedict says in first encyclical

Jan 25, 2006, 14:00 GMT

Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI released Wednesday his first encyclical, Deus Caritas Est (God is Love), a profound exploration into Christianity's central message that invites Catholics not to confuse love with lust. ... more

Pope Benedict condemns anti-Semitism, may visit Rome synagogue

Jan 16, 2006, 15:38 GMT

Vatican City - Italian Jewish leaders Monday invited Pope Benedict XVI to visit Rome's main synagogue during a meeting at the Vatican that saw the German-born pontiff speak out against anti- Semitism and hatred towards Israel. ... more

Pope Benedict meets Beslan children

Jan 11, 2006, 13:40 GMT

Rome - Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday met a group of Russian children who survived the horrific terrorist attack of September 2004 in a school in Beslan. ... more

Pope calls for peace, renewed U.N. efforts

Jan 1, 2006, 17:33 GMT

Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI in his New Year's address Sunday urged individuals and world bodies to renew their efforts for peace in the face of 'terrorism, nihilism and fanatical fundamentalism'. ... more

Pope Benedict XVI delivers Christmas Day blessing

Dec 25, 2005, 13:18 GMT

Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday urged modern man not to forget his spiritual side and called for peace in Africa, the Middle East and Iraq as he delivered his traditional Christmas Day message to Catholics around the world. ... more

Pope Benedict XVI to celebrate his first Christmas Eve mass

Dec 24, 2005, 17:31 GMT

Vatican City - Catholics around the world Saturday prepared to follow a Christmas vigil mass in Rome's Basilica of St. Peter, the first to be celebrated by a new pope in nearly 30 years. ... more

Pope Benedict XVI faces busy Christmas schedule

Dec 22, 2005, 8:43 GMT

Vatican City - Joseph Ratzinger faces a busy Christmas program, his first as Pope Benedict XVI, starting Saturday with a traditional Midnight Mass in St. Peter's Basilica and Christmas Day's 'urbi et orbi' blessing to Rome and the world. ... more

''Tis the season to be traditional', pope tells Catholics

Dec 21, 2005, 13:18 GMT

Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday urged Catholics to focus on the Christian origins of Christmas and not to be dazzled by the flashy lights of consumerism and modern culture. ... more

Pope Benedict XVI calls for nuclear disarmament

Dec 13, 2005, 15:14 GMT

Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI has called for a 'progressive and concerted' global nuclear disarmament, dismissing as 'baneful' and 'fallacious' the argument that atomic bombs make countries safer. ... more

Sinless life isn't boring, Pope Benedict says

Dec 8, 2005, 14:45 GMT

Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI on Thursday urged Catholics not to confuse 'a sinless life' with a 'boring life'. ... more

Pope Benedict XVI likely to visit Auschwitz in June

Dec 2, 2005, 11:10 GMT

Warsaw - Pope Benedict XVI is likely next year to visit the Nazi death camp Auschwitz where more than one million people perished during World War II, unconfirmed Polish media reports said Friday. ... more

Pope Benedict XVI says he will watch World Cup games

Oct 26, 2005, 19:17 GMT

Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI wished the 2006 World Cup 'the best of luck' and revealed that he will be watching 'many of the games on television' during a meeting Wednesday with Organizing Committee (OC) president Franz Beckenbauer. ... more