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Castel Gandolfo, Italy, Sep 30, 2011 / 12:51 am (CNA).- A leading Russian Orthodox official says the Eastern Orthodox churches have yet to resolve the question of authority among themselves, a condition for future progress on the issue of the papacy. “I would say that there are certain divergences, and there are different positions, of the Orthodox churches on the question of the primacy,” said Metropolitan Archbishop Hilarion Alfeyev of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations, in a Vatican Radio interview following his Sept. 29 meeting with Pope Benedict XVI at Castel Gandolfo. “As we...

Vatican City, Jul 5, 2010 / 01:02 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Benedict XVI has accepted the invitation of Queen Elizabeth II and the episcopal conferences of the United Kingdom to visit in September, according to the spokesman of the Holy See. While the Pope's stop in the house of parliament has been confirmed, the most anticipated moment of the apostolic visit will take place on its final day.The Holy See's spokesman, Fr. Federico Lombardi, officially announced the trip in a Monday statement from the press office. This confirms what Pope Benedict had already told the bishops of England and Wales...

Twice-divorced former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani took Communion at a Mass celebrated by Pope Benedict on Saturday, breaching rules that bar those who remarry outside the Church from doing so. As he left New York's St. Patrick's Cathedral with his third wife, Judith, the failed presidential candidate confirmed to Reuters that he took Communion from a priest. Asked if he was uncomfortable with having broken the Church ban on the divorced and remarried taking Communion, Giuliani said, "No." The Church does not recognize divorce and teaches that divorced Catholics are still married to their earlier partner unless the...

The solemn papal Mass was suspended by the cataclysm of Venti Settembre. From 20 September, 1870, until 1 January, 1888, the silver trumpets were silent in the Vatican basilica: the Sovereign Pontiff no longer offered the Holy Sacrifice at the tomb of the Apostle, and the throne of the Domnus apostolicus remained empty. The jubilee of the priesthood of Leo XIII (1878-1903) on 1 January, 1888, afforded an occasion for the resumption of the solemn Mass. It was not, however, until 11 February, 1929, that the ‘Roman question’ came to be settled, and the Vatican State was recognised by Italy.It...

Preacher Draws On Work of V.S. Solovyov VATICAN CITY, FEB. 28, 2007 (Zenit.org).- The Antichrist is the reduction of Christianity to an ideology, instead of a personal encounter with the Savior, says the cardinal directing the retreat which Benedict XVI is attending. Cardinal Giacomo Biffi, retired archbishop of Bologna, delivered that message during a meditation Tuesday, drawing on the work of Russian philosopher Vladimir Sergeyevich Solovyov. The cardinal's meditation came during the weeklong Spiritual Exercises being attended by the Pope and members of the Roman Curia. The retreat ends this Saturday. The Holy Father suspended his usual meetings, including the...

Iranian leader urges more papal protests By LEE KEATH, 29 minutes ago CAIRO, Egypt - Al-Qaida in Iraq warned Pope Benedict XVI on Monday that its war against Christianity and the West will go on until Islam takes over the world, and Iran's supreme leader called for more protests over the pontiff's remarks on Islam. Protests broke out in South Asia and Indonesia, with angry Muslims saying Benedict's statement of regret a day earlier did not go far enough. In southern Iraq, demonstrators carrying black flags burned an effigy of the pope. Islamic leaders around the world issued more condemnations...

Prayers from the Raccolta, 1957 edition, reprinted by Loreto Publications, 2004 385 Most holy Virgin and Mother, whose soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow in the Passion of thy divine Son, and who in His glorious Resurrection was filled with never-ending joy at His triumph; obtain for us who call upon thee, so to be partakers in the adversities of Holy Church and the sorrows of the Sovereign Pontiff, as to be found worthy to rejoice with them in the consolations for which we pray, in the charity and peace of the same Christ our Lord. Amen. 511[A...

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) -- Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi says he will not attend a meeting of European politicians with Pope Benedict this month after opposition leaders accused the Vatican of meddling in politics. Berlusconi had been expected to go to an audience with members of the European People's Party but the announcement had sparked uproar amongst the opposition who said he should not be meeting the pope so close to the April 9-10 elections.... The center-left opposition had accused Berlusconi of looking to transform the audience at the end of March into a papal blessing for the centre-right coalition. Throughout...

Folks, my colleague Oswald Sobrino of Catholic Analysis has a very interesting post on the new papal coat-of-arms (pictured right). I'm a fan of heraldry--meaning that I have a fascination for it and its symbology, not that I spend untold amount of hours researching them or drawing my own--because they tell me so much about the person bearing them. I'll now reproduce the description found at the ETWN site: The coat of arms of Pope Benedict XVI incorporates both papal elements, as well as the elements of the coat of arms he bore as Archbishop of München (Munich) and Freising,...

In this photo made available by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano,Pope Benedict XVI stands infront of the tomb of St. Peter's inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Sunday, April 24, 2005 prior to his installment Mass in St. Peter's Square. (AP Photo/Osservatore Romano) German Pope Benedict XVI waves as he arrives to lead his first public mass in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican April 24, 2005. To the sound of choirs chanting in Latin and the applause of the crowd, Pope Benedict emerged into a sunlit St. Peter's Square on Sunday for the inaugural Mass that marks the...

Today, at 10 AM local time, the College of Cardinals celebrated the Holy Mass for the Election of the Pope, prior to starting the Conclave, the process of papal election later on today. "Conclave" is a word of Latin origin, "con clave," which means "under key," in the sense of "under lock and key." It refers to the fact that Cardinals lock themselves in the Sistine Chapel in order to protect their independence as papal electors. The College of Cardinals, as you may know, is the modern incarnation of Rome's ancient Presbytery or Council of Priests, who in the past...

Why was the 3rd secret of Fatima kept secret for so long?

College of Cardinals Among the College of Bishops, it has been a longstanding tradition of the Church, to raise certain bishops and archbishops to the College of Cardinals. The Cardinals have traditionally been seen as the "Princes of the Church". Because of their special devotion and holiness, they are called to assist the Holy Father in the governance of the Church. Most Cardinals are either Archbishops of the largest dioceses in their countries or regions, or the heads of the dicasteries of the Roman Curia (the Pope's Ministers of State, if you like). Of course, the singular role that the...

Swiss watchers The papal guard may dress colourfully but you would be unwise to call them dandies, writes W Thomas Smith Jr W Thomas Smith Jr Tuesday April 5, 2005 Guardian Unlimited Are the Pope's colourfully uniformed guards just for show? The question has frequently been asked in the wake of John Paul II's death. The answer is that these soldiers are indeed not only "stood up" for ceremonial purposes. They are members of the Swiss Guard - often referred to as the papal guards or Swiss mercenaries - an elite, company-sized military force that has defended a succession of...

On Fox and Friends this morning, early in the 5 am EDT hour, they reported, via Italian news sources, that there are concerns, citing intelligence sources (in Italy/Europe apparently), that there may be demonstrations during the mourning period for Pope John Paul II.

Posted: November 6, 2003 Interview with Cardinal José Saraiva MartinsNovember 5, 2003By John L. Allen, Jr.RomePortuguese Cardinal José Saraiva Martins is prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. Last year he turned 70, and the Urbaniana University Press recently honored him with a book of essays.In an exclusive interview with NCR Rome Correspondent John L. Allen, Jr., Saraiva Martins spoke on a wide range of topics looking back over his career as a Claretian priest, theologian, rector of the Urbaniana University, then secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education from 1988 to 1998 and prefect of the Congregation...

WHEN SAD DAY COMES, EYES OF WORLD WILL BE ON PAPAL SELECTION AS NEVER BEFOREWhen, God forbid, the Pope leaves this earth, it will kick into play a process of selection that promises to be the most important crossroads for the Church since Vatican II.Fortunately, John Paul II again has defied morbid expectations, and with God's grace, will spiritually lead the Church for a good while yet; his mere presence is the important thing; he doesn't need to talk or administer. And when he does leave this planet, he will be a yet greater intercessor.But as with anyone who is...

Given the sudden deterioration of the Pope's Condition, I thought a thread of this nature might be appropriate.  I read in one of the articles that the POPE HIMSELF is disappointed at his slow recovery, not because of desires relating to self-preservation but because of his scheduled duties and tasks.  I find that truly aspiring.  Here's to you Karol Jozef Wojtyla ! At a United Nations Function.           Kissing the Ground in a Foreign Land Unmarred compassion with his would-be assassin Weekly Address in St. Peter's Square With Princess Diana In Prayer (Very powerful I think) Brief Respit From Cover...