Pope Francis and his predecessor, former pope Benedict XVI, have received the Covid-19 vaccine
Pope Francis was due to visit Iraq in March.
Pope: Pray for children in Syria, Iraq and Yemen
Pope Francis touched on the plight of children caught up by war, singling out victims in Syria, Yemen and Iraq in his Christmas speech.
Pope hopes to visit South Sudan, Lebanon
Pope Francis told the countries' leaders to do more to bring peace and stability to their nations.
Coronavirus dampens Christmas joy in Bethlehem and elsewhere
Coronavirus restrictions are keeping away the thousands of visitors who usually celebrate Christmas in Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus.
Christmas tree in Baghdad to celebrate diversity
Three years after the defeat of the Islamic State and to celebrate religious diversity in Iraq, a huge Christmas tree has been erected in Baghdad.
Rare Christmas sales in Saudi Arabia
For decades, Christmas sales were largely underground, and Christians from the Philippines, Lebanon and other countries celebrated behind closed ...
Pope plans first historic Iraq trip in March
The Vatican on Monday confirmed Pope Francis is scheduled to make the first ever trip by a pontiff to Iraq in March.
Pope says for first time that Uighurs are 'persecuted'
In a new book, the Pope acknowledged China's Uighurs as a 'persecuted' people, a claim the Chinese FM dismissed as 'groundless'.
Treaty banning nuclear weapons to enter into force
Honduras became the 50th country to ratify the treaty, drawing praise from human rights groups around the world.
Vatican to open refugee reception centre in Rome
A building in Rome owned by a convent will be used as a reception centre for up to 60 asylum seekers, the chaplain responsible for the Vatican's ...
Pope deplores 'fragile truce' in Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
A ceasefire on Saturday was swiftly broken by more fighting, with both sides accusing the other of responsibility.
Pompeo urges Greece, Turkey to resolve Mediterranean row
The United States on Monday called on Greece and Turkey to find "good solutions" to a tense Mediterranean territorial dispute after the NATO ...
Pope 'distressed' over Turkey's Hagia Sophia conversion to mosque
"My thoughts go to Istanbul. I'm thinking about Hagia Sophia. I am very distressed," the pope said
In crisis-hit Lebanon, will French-language schools survive?
The country's worst economic crisis in decades has left French schools in Lebanon battling to stay afloat as parents struggle to pay fees.
Pope condemns 'hell' of migrant detention camps in Libya
Pope Francis deplored the "hellish" migrant detention camps in Libya during a mass at his residence in the Vatican.
Pope warns of 'mass starvation' in Syria and Lebanon
As Syria and Lebanon continue to struggle amid worsening economic crises, the Pope on Sunday urged world leaders to help the two countries.
Pope Francis urges peace, aid to migrants in Libya
Pope Francis on Sunday urged political and military leaders in Libya to end their hostilities and called on the international community to take ...
Vatican expresses ‘concern’ regarding Israeli West Bank annexation plans
The Vatican says it is concerned over Israeli plans to annex parts of the West Bank following a meeting between its chief foreign ...
Orthodox congregations watch Easter services from home during lockdown
Televised and online services replaced the usually packed-out Orthodox Easter congregations across Eastern Europe and the Middle East as ...
Iranian ex-ambassador becomes seventh official to die from coronavirus
Hossein Sheikholeslam, an adviser to Iran’s foreign minister, has died aged 68 from the novel coronavirus, which has spread to over 4700 Iranian ...
Son of prominent South Africa Muslim preacher shot
The son of one of South Africa's most prominent Muslim preachers is reportedly in a critical condition after being shot outside a courthouse.
Fragment of Jesus' manger arrives in Bethlehem
After more than a millennium’s absence, a tiny wooden fragment claimed to have been from the manger where Jesus was born was given back to ...
Sanctions are testing the resilience of Iran's Islamic system
Comment: Iran's latest crisis highlights the problems of its double-headed government, and the conflict between national interests and the ...
Pope Francis says he wants to visit Iraq as early as next year in spite of the security conditions.