Vatican City - Pope Francis on Wednesday denounced "shameful" attacks on Christians in Nigeria and the Central African Republic (CAR), calling for an end to "all hate and violence".

Vatican City - The Vatican on Friday urged Venezuela not to go ahead with installing a powerful new assembly sought by President Nicolas Maduro but challenged by his opponents.

Vatican City - A trial against two former members of a Vatican foundation charged with embezzling charity money to refurbish the luxury apartment of a cardinal opened Tuesday.

Vatican City - Pope Francis carries the weight of the world's poor and suffering on his shoulders: the last thing he needs is people turning up at his apartment for a whinge.

Vatican City - Christians who lay down their life to save others, "following in the footsteps and teaching of Jesus", will now be eligible for beatification, Pope Francis said Tuesday.

Vatican City - The unleavened bread used to celebrate the Eucharist during Catholic masses can be made with genetically modified organisms, the Vatican said Saturday, but they cannot be entirely gluten-free.

Vatican City - Pope Francis expressed his support Sunday for the British parents of a baby with a rare genetic disease, saying he hoped doctors would allow them to "care for their child until the end".

Vatican City - Pope Francis on Sunday called for an end to violence in Venezuela and urged the country to find a "democratic solution" to its problems.

Vatican City - Pope Francis has dismissed the church's chief of doctrine, Cardinal Gerhard Mueller -- one of the most powerful cardinals at the Vatican -- and appointed a Spanish archbishop to the role, the Vatican said Saturday.

Vatican City - Pope Francis has dismissed the church's chief of doctrine Cardinal Gerhard Mueller -- one of the most powerful cardinals at the Vatican -- and appointed a Spanish Archbishop to the role, the Vatican said Saturday.

Vatican City - Australia's move to bring sexual assault charges against Cardinal George Pell is the latest chapter in a damaging saga of abuse that the Catholic church has struggled to draw a line under.

Vatican City - Cardinal George Pell said Thursday that he would take leave from the Vatican to return to Australia to fight sexual assault charges after being given strong backing from Pope Francis, who has not asked him to resign from his senior Church post.

Vatican City - Pope Francis on Wednesday created five new cardinals in a colourful ritual ceremony at the Vatican that blended centuries of tradition with the Argentine pontiff's vision of a remodelled Church for the 21st century.

Vatican City - Pope Francis will visit Chile and Peru in January, the Vatican said Monday, on a trip that will take the Catholic Church's first South American pontiff from Santiago to Lima.

Vatican City - Pope Francis on Monday met Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who was expected to seek an apology over the abuse of indigenous Canadians at church-run boarding schools.

Vatican City - It could have caused a diplomatic incident but a culinary quip from Pope Francis seemed to have gone down well with Donald Trump and his wife Melania.

Vatican City - Pope Francis urged Donald Trump to use his US presidency to promote peace around the world as the two leaders swapped sparring for smiles in their first face-to-face meeting, at the Vatican on Wednesday.

Vatican City - US President Donald Trump met Pope Francis at the Vatican on Wednesday in a keenly-anticipated first face-to-face encounter between two world leaders who have clashed repeatedly on several issues.

Vatican City - Billionaire President Donald Trump heads to the Vatican on Wednesday to meet man-of-the-poor Pope Francis, with all eyes on whether they will end their sparring to find common ground.

Vatican City - Pope Francis said Sunday he plans to create five new cardinals from five different countries at a special ceremony next month, all of them under the age of 80.