Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe on Monday described the late pope John Paul II's beatification as "absolutely heavenly" after braving a European travel ban to attend the ceremony in Rome.

Pilgrims gather for beatification of John Paul II

2011-04-30T13:30:09Z

Thousands of pilgrims thronged Rome on Saturday amid tight security, on the eve of a grand ceremony that the Vatican called a "Feast of Faith" to bring late pope John Paul II close to sainthood.

"May this feast of faith be a precious occasion to open the door to Christ,"

Fired-up pilgrims prepare for John Paul II ceremony

2011-04-29T19:30:23Z

Thousands of excitable pilgrims swarmed into central Rome on the eve of a ceremony to mark late pope John Paul II's step towards sainthood, as the Vatican geared up for the show.

"I couldn't miss this, I had to be a part of such a historical moment. We've only just arrived but the ...

'Papa Boys' fete John Paul II's step to sainthood

2011-04-28T20:30:30Z

As John Paul II mania grips Rome ahead of Sunday's ceremony that will put the late pope on the path to sainthood, thousands of young devotees are flocking to the city to celebrate their hero.

"We were born during John Paul II's pontificate, attended his audiences and spent World Youth Days with him," said Massimo Manzolillo, a member of the Pa...

John Paul II 'miracles' posted on Vatican website

2011-04-27T13:30:43Z

Stories of miraculous healings attributed to late pope John Paul II are being posted on a Vatican website that has already collected thousands of reports ahead of his beatification on May 1.

Tales of lives saved, sicknesses cured and families reunited from across Europe have been ...

Poles prepare for beatification of John Paul II

2011-04-26T14:30:46Z

Travelling on a fleet of planes, trains and cars, more than 50,000 Poles are expected to flock to the Vatican for the beatification of "their" saint-to-be, Polish-born pope John Paul II.

The funeral of Karol Wojtyla in April 2005 drew half a million Poles.

While his fast-track beatification -- a key step towards canonisation as a ...

Vial of John Paul II's blood to be venerated

2011-04-26T13:30:32Z

A vial containing the blood of the late pope John Paul II has been prepared as a relic for veneration at his beatification ceremony this weekend, the Vatican said on Tuesday.

The blood was drawn "during the last days of the pope's life" in case a transfusion might be necessary, the Vatican said in a statement, noting that an anti-coagul...

Tacky John Paul II mania takes off in Rome

2011-04-24T07:30:17Z

With life-size statues and T-shirts with John Paul II's famous phrase "Be Not Afraid", pope mania is well underway in Rome ahead of a May 1 ceremony that will put him on the path to sainthood.

As the Italian capital -- and the reference point for the world's one billion plus Catholics -- prepares for the arrival of some 300,000 pilgrims for the festivities, the ...

Pope begins Easter as John Paul beatification nears

2011-04-23T15:30:28Z

ROME (Reuters) - Pope Benedict led the world's Catholics into Easter on Saturday, ahead of the beatification of his venerated predecessor John Paul II on May 1.

The 84 year-old pontiff presided at an Eas...

Papal beatification stirs pride, hope in Polish Church

2011-04-18T12:02:41Z

WADOWICE, Poland (Reuters) - In the sleepy town of Wadowice in southern Poland, they are sprucing up the main square and renovating the house where its most famous son, the late Pope John Paul II, was born as Karol Wojtyla 91 years ago.

Wadowice, its streets decked out w...

Pope John Paul II musicals to go on stage in Spain

2011-04-12T13:30:42Z

Two musicals about the life of Pope John Paul II, including one that covers his childhood under Nazi rule in Poland, will be staged for Roman Catholic Church youth festivities in Madrid this August, organisers said Tuesday.

The plays are among 295 cu...

Poland's cassock-clad priests vie in "papal" ski race

2011-02-20T04:30:11Z

Slaloming down the slopes in billowing cassocks in the tracks of their late compatriot Pope John Paul II, Polish priests vie for the "papal cup" prize in the annual clergy ski championships.

Each year ski-mad priests flock to Poland's southern Beskid Slaski mountain range bordering the Czech Republic t...

Rome booked out for John Paul II beatification

2011-02-10T03:30:38Z

More than two million pilgrims are expected to throng the streets of Rome for the beatification ceremony of John Paul II on May 1, leaving travel agencies desperate for accommodation and hotel prices soaring.

The Vatican expects as many as two and a half million people...

John Paul II to be beatified May 1

2011-01-14T15:30:18Z

The late pope John Paul II is on the fast track to sainthood and will be beatified on May 1, the Vatican said Friday, to the joy of supporters and alarm of clerical abuse victims.

Pope Benedict XVI's decision to beatify the Polish-born pope in the preliminary...

Pope John Paul close to sainthood, to be beatified

2011-01-14T03:30:18Z

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The late Pope John Paul II was moved a major step closer to sainthood in the Roman Catholic Church on Friday when his successor approved a decree attributing ...

Pope Benedict set to beatify John Paul II

2011-01-12T10:00:19Z

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Former Pope John Paul II will move a step closer to sainthood this week when his successor Pope Benedict approves the case for his beatification, VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Benedict said on Saturday he will host a summit of world religious leaders in the city of Assisi in October to discuss how they can promote world peace.

The meeting will take place on the 25th anniversary of a similar encounter h...

remembering Vietnam's martyrs in California

2010-11-29T14:31:30Z

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We Pause to Give Thanks and We are Called to Love

2010-11-29T14:31:28Z

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Croatian bishops: Pope to visit on June 4-5

2010-11-16T08:11:37Z

Pope Benedict XVI to visit Croatia, a Catholic bastion in the Balkans, on June 4-5

The Croatian Bishops' Conference says pope Benedict XVI will visit Croatia for the first time on June 4-5.

Benedict's predecessor, J...

Lina Pavanelli

2010-11-30T13:53:17Z

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Renato Buzzonetti

2010-11-30T13:55:20Z

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Church and education

2010-11-29T14:58:33Z

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Pope's Red Shoes

2010-11-30T13:28:24Z

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Reflections: Death of Karol Wojtyla

2010-11-29T15:46:35Z

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Martyrdom in a modern world

2010-11-29T15:46:30Z

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Book reviews: 101 Inspirational Stories of the Rosary, by Sister Patricia Proctor

2010-11-29T15:46:01Z

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Memorable quotes about religion

2010-11-29T15:47:25Z

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Grassroots evangelizing

2010-11-29T15:46:01Z

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Biography: Pope Benedict XVI

2010-11-29T15:45:59Z

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Can science prove the existence of God?

2010-11-29T15:47:22Z

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The visit of John Paul II to Toronto

2010-11-29T15:46:02Z

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How to Pray the Rosary

2010-11-30T13:18:48Z

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Exhibit Offers Peak Inside Vatican's `Splendors'

2010-11-04T13:07:13Z

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Cuba opens first seminary in 50 years

2010-11-04T07:46:54Z

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Biography: Pope John Paul II (Karol Wojtyla)

2010-11-04T14:48:41Z

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What does the Catholic Church teach on Evolution

2010-11-03T03:08:01Z

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priest opens bar in a Roman crypt

2010-10-19T10:21:33Z

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'Catholic pub' opens in historic Rome crypt

2010-10-19T00:30:32Z

Start with the landlord being a Catholic priest, the religious sayings on the walls and the large crucifix hanging in one of its vaulted rooms.

Then there's the name of the new drinking establishment: "Giovanni Paolo II", or "John Paul II".

"Vodka is not allowed here," said barman Marco Mincaglia, as he served out beers and snacks to a visiting group of young German pilgrims.

John Paul II on 'fast track' to sainthood

2010-10-16T07:30:13Z

"We expressed our hope for a continuation of the process and the latest signals show that this process has been recently speeded up," Komorowski told reporters after the talks on the 32nd anniversary of John Paul II's election.

Komorowski also attended a mass in honour of John Paul II in the Vatican.

Italian daily

You Shall Ask, Seek, Find and Prove the Truth

2010-11-03T00:33:19Z

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Human Nature and sosialism

2010-11-03T00:08:42Z

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How to Reference the Catechism

2010-09-21T13:57:08Z

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The Heart Is The Battlefield Between Love and Lust

2010-10-14T12:56:41Z

O Venerable John Paul II and Cardinal Newman; help to teach Protestants, Non-Christians and Catholics the Sacredness of Sex. Help to write on the battlefield of the heart. O God I make this plea to request You to answer my prayer. Amen.

Writing

The human person is made to reproduce; in the sexual form which God gives the command to; Genesis 1:27-28 "God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them.

God ble...

How to Cite a Papal Encyclical

2010-11-02T14:40:31Z

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On Nostradamus and the Paths of Wisdom

2010-10-14T14:00:54Z

This article summarizes the thematic content of the thirty-two Nostradamus prophecies that were known in mystic circles as the Paths of Wisdom, and for cross-reference to online sources the Nostradamus numbers will also be noted. Years of investigation unwinding the cryptic writings of medieval mystics reveal that these thirty-two prophecies stood among one hundred prophecies that formed the Book of Light, and the idea of extracting thirty-two of them as Paths of Wisdom came from a book known...

Catholics care for immigrants in Italy -- and most are Muslim

2010-09-10T23:54:31Z

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You Auto Know: Parties and popemobiles

2010-11-02T14:50:50Z

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Vatican City State Year In Review 1994

2010-11-02T15:32:14Z

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Vatican City State Year In Review 1997

2010-11-02T15:32:14Z

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Vatican City State Year In Review 1999

2010-11-02T15:32:16Z

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Vatican City State Year In Review 1998

2010-11-02T15:32:15Z

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Vatican City State Year In Review 2002

2010-11-02T15:32:21Z

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Vatican City State Year In Review 2000

2010-11-02T15:32:18Z

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Curtain going up on new musical about John Paul

2010-10-27T09:06:48Z

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Newt Gingrich promotes film on Pope John Paul II

2010-06-09T09:16:40Z

Newt Gingrich, a Catholic convert, co-produces film on Pope John Paul's II

The prominent U.S. Republican Newt Gingrich — a recent convert to Catholicism — is in Poland promoting a documentary he co-produced on Pope John Paul II's ...

Huge crowds gather for Pope mass in Portugal

2010-05-13T11:46:50Z

Hundreds of thousands of people attended a giant mass with Pope Benedict XVI in Portugal Thursday in what the Church said was a massive show of support for his handling of the paedophile priest crisis.

The Fatima sanctuary's huge esplanade was full to overflowing and Church organisers said half a million people attended the o...

Pope begins giant mass in Fatima

2010-05-13T11:33:25Z

Pope Benedict XVI began a giant outdoor mass in the Portuguese shrine of Fatima Thursday before hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from around the world.

The sanctuary's huge esplanade was full to overflowing and Church organisers said half a million people attended the mass, a greater number than joined his predecessor Fatima where Pope Benedict XVI will visit this week.

After making a holy vow of penitence, some walk for miles and then crawl past the souvenir shops, chapels, hospitals and hostels for sick pilgrims that surround the main basilic...

Restoration of the Sistine Chapel frescoes

2010-10-11T07:59:39Z

Previous restorations
The frescoes on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel had a number of interventions prior to the restoration process which was started in 1980. Initial problems with the ceiling appear to have been caused by water penetrating through the floor above. In about 1547 Paolo Giovio wrote that the ceiling was being damaged by saltpetre and cracks. The effect of saltpetre is to leave a white efflorescence. Gianluigi Colalucci, Head Restorer at the Laboratory for the Restoration ...

Colombia cardinal defends church's abuse policies

2010-04-22T19:00:14Z

Cardinal defends church on sex abuse, says then-Cardinal Ratzinger party to controversial note

A senior cardinal defended the Roman Catholic Church's practice of frequently not reporting sexual abusive priests to the police, saying Thursday it would have been like testifying against a family member at trial.

John Paul approved of cover-up

2010-10-25T14:30:48Z

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John Paul II — Five Years Gone

2010-10-27T08:03:19Z

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In Turkey, Pope gunman says Benedict should resign

2010-03-29T05:15:24Z

Turkish man who shot previous pope calls on Benedict to resign over clerical sex abuse cases

The Turkish man who shot Pope John Paul II says Pope Benedict XVI should resign over the Catholic Church's handling of clerical sex abuse cases.

Mehmet Ali Agca, who emerged f...

Courage and Creativity

2010-10-25T11:36:35Z

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Debt Relief And The Stand Of Catholics On The Matter

2010-09-21T16:16:16Z

Poor countries are suffering from huge debts to the very rich countries. Because of the ever increasing debts in the market, financial institutions are taking advantage of the situation by offering loans and other debt relief solutions. The hardships of people are only enhanced due to increased borrowings.

According to experts, debt is not merely a major economic issue, but it can also be considered as one of the very important ethical issues known to man. Debts can affect the p...

'Rebel' nun to become Australia's first saint

2010-04-16T07:02:35Z

&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;Australia will have its first Roman Catholic saint -- a pioneering nun who was briefly excommunicated from the Church for insubordination -- on October 17, Pope Benedict XVI announced Friday.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Mary MacKillop will be canonised along with a monk from Australia and the Canadian province of Quebec will have their first Roman Catholic saints -- a pioneering nun and a humble healer -- on October 17, Pope Benedict XVI announced Friday.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Australia's Mary MacKillop, a nun revered for her work...

Man who tried to kill the pope free after years in jail

2010-04-16T07:33:12Z

Mehmet Ali Agca, the Turkish man who attempted to kill pope John Paul II in 1981, was on Monday freed from prison after almost three decades behind bars, but the motive for his attack remains shrouded in mystery.

The greying 52-year-old raised his fist as he drove away in a car from a high-security prison near Ankara...

Pope's failed assassin freed after decades in jail

2010-04-16T07:33:15Z

The Turkish man who tried to kill Pope John Paul II in 1981, Mehmet Ali Agca, was released from prison Monday after almost three decades behind bars, but immediately faced authorities over his status as a draft dodger.

"The release procedure has been completed," lawyer Yilmaz Abosoglu told an ar...

Pope's failed assassin released after three decades behind bars

2010-04-16T07:33:28Z

The Turk who tried to kill pope John Paul II in 1981, Mehmet Ali Agca, was released from prison Monday after almost three decades behind bars, but immediately faced authorities over his status as a draft dodger.

"The release procedure has been completed," lawyer Yilmaz Abosoglu told an army of r...

Pope's failed assassin released after 3 decades in jail

2010-04-16T07:33:36Z

"The release procedure has been completed," lawyer Yilmaz Abosoglu told an army of r...

Pope honours deported Jews on Rome synagogue visit

2010-04-16T07:34:35Z

Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday paid homage to more than 1,000 Roman Jews deported to Nazi death camps as he started a landmark visit to Rome's main synagogue.

The 82-year-old pope began the much-anticipated visit under a cloud after angering many Jews by moving his wartime predecessor Pius XII, accused of inaction during the Holocaust, further on the road to sainth...

Pope John Paul II gunman calls for "new American Empire"

2010-10-13T14:16:57Z

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - The man who tried to kill Pope John Paul II called for a "new American Empire" championing peace and democracy in a rambling statement issued by his lawyers Wednesday before his release from prison next week.

Former far-right gangster Cuban cardinal to give thanks for visiting Cuban-Americans in rare address allowed on state TV

Cuba's Roman Catholic cardinal will read a Christmas message on state television for the second straight year, another small sign the once officially atheist communist government is warming to religion.

During the Wednesday broadcast, Cardinal Jaime Ortega<...

A Step Closer to Sainthood for Pope John Paul II

2010-10-22T13:28:50Z

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Pope moves wartime pontiff closer to sainthood

2010-04-16T08:14:34Z

Pope Benedict XVI moved controversial wartime pontiff Pius XII closer to sainthood by declaring him "venerable" in a surprise announcement on Saturday.

The pontiff simultaneously bestowed the same title on his beloved predecessor John Paul II and paved the way for the beatification of Jerzy ...

Pope John Paul moves closer to sainthood

2010-04-16T08:16:27Z

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The late Pope John Paul II moved closer to sainthood in the Catholic Church on Saturday when Pope Benedict approved a decree recognizing that his predecessor had lived the Christian faith heroically.

The

Mackillop soon to be Australia's first saint

2010-10-22T09:29:08Z

Pope Benedict XVI has approved the second miracle needed for an Australian woman to be declared the country's first saint.

Benedict approved a decree saying that a miracle occurred thanks to the intercession of Mother Mary Mackillop, who helped spread Roman Catholicism across the Australian outb...

Did the Pope sell Zyklon B?

2010-10-14T12:23:31Z

A good question - why and how could Pope John Paul II (Karol Wojtila) have sold Zyklon B during World War II when it was manufactured by a German firm? Why would Wojtila wish to do this, as he had a Jewish mother and are there documents to support this?

To answer these questions, let's have a look at a little history.

In the summer of 1938, Karol Wojtyla moved to Krakow in Poland where he enrolled at the Jagiellonian University. While studying such topics as philology and variou...

Pope ends Africa synod

2010-04-16T09:39:10Z

Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday called for the benefits of global development to be spread more evenly, as a Vatican synod of African bishops drew to a close.

Ending the three-week event with a mass, the head of the Roman Catholic Church said the development model needed changes to "include all ...

The saints stop marching in

2010-10-22T11:56:05Z

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Rosary

2010-10-22T10:52:16Z

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Year of Jubilee

2010-10-22T10:45:40Z

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Lucas Moreira Cardinal Neves

2010-10-22T10:15:46Z

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Luminous mysteries

2010-10-22T10:03:39Z

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Professor Benedict of Rome

2010-10-26T20:53:40Z

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Pope gunman: I want to convert to Christianity

2010-04-16T12:21:01Z

Turk who shot Pope John Paul II says he wants to convert to Christianity after prison release

The man who shot Pope John Paul II says he would like to convert to Christianity at a baptism ceremony at the Vatican soon after his release from prison in January, his lawyer said Wednesday.

Over the years, In new book, Polish priest says steamy sex life brings married couples closer to God

The Rev. Ksawery Knotz has a message for all married Catholic couples out there: there's nothing wrong with a steamy sex life.

In fact, it's a good thing.

In his new book "Sex as you don't know it: For married couples who love God," the Polish friar provides a theological and practical guide for Catholics that h...

Where Faith and Politics Intersect, Part II

2010-10-21T09:31:37Z

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Papacy: Pope John Paul II and the Sexual Abuse Crisis

2010-10-21T09:31:34Z

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Poland John Paul II Museum

2010-10-06T06:00:14Z

FILE - In this June 7, 1979 file photo Pope John Paul II walks outside the home where he was born in Wadowice, Poland, June 7, 1979 shortly after he arrived here for the first time since he had been elected as head of the Catholic world last year. Local authorities say that a cornerstone has been laid for a museum honoring the late Pope John Paul II at his home in Wadowice, in southern P...

Italy Pope Britain Two Popes

2010-09-12T02:30:14Z

FILE - In this Friday, May 28, 1982 file photo, Pope John Paul II walks with Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II through the Marble Hall at Buckingham Palace in Jose Raul Gonzalez looks down during a news conference Monday, June 21, 2010 in St. Paul, Minnn., where a lawsuit was outlined on his behalf concerning the childhood abuse he alleges at the hands of his father, Rev. Marcial Maciel, who is shown at left in a photo with Pope John Paul II. (AP Photo/Jim Mon...

Poland Gingrich Pope Film

2010-06-09T09:17:02Z

Newt Gingrich, a prominent U.S. Republican and now a convert to Catholicism, discusses a new film he co-produced on Pope John Paul II's historic role in defeating communism in eastern Europe, on Wednesday, June 9, 2010, in Warsaw,...

Poland Remembering John Paul II

2010-04-02T15:46:00Z

Soldiers carry a cross as a Way of Cross procession walks past a portrait of the late Pope John Paul II, in Warsaw, Poland, Friday, April 2, 2010, during ceremonies marking the 5th anniversary of the pope's death. (AP Photo/Alik Keplicz)

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