Pope Benedict XVI has called for peace in the world during his New Year's Mass in Saint Peter's Cathedral. Since 1967, New Year's Day has been World Peace Day in the Roman Catholic Church.

Pope Benedict XVI Celebrates Midnight Mass in Vatican, Pilgrims Mark The Most Peaceful Christmas in Bethlehem In Years.

Dear Brothers and Sisters - “The time came for Mary to be delivered. And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn” (Lk 2:6f.). These words touch our hearts every time we hear them. This was the moment that the angel had foretold at Nazareth: “you will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High” (Lk 1:31).

23 churchmen from all over the world were appointed to the top ranks of the Catholic Church hierarchy by Pope Benedict XVI. He told each prelate that he must be willing to shed his blood for the Christian faith.

Pope Benedict XVI met with King Abdullah, king of Saudi Arabia. It was the first meeting between a pontiff and a reigning Saudi monarch. Vatican concerns about restrictions on Christian worship in the Muslim kingdom.

Pope Benedict XVI has named 23 new Roman Catholic cardinals, 18 of whom are under the age of 80, making them eligible to elect his successor. The pope made the announcement to pilgrims and tourists Wednesday during his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square.

A third division soccer club of Italy was praised by Pope Benedict XVI for ports signing on to a program by a Christian sorganization that seeks to promote ethics in soccer.

Pope Benedict XVI has expressed "sadness, repentance and friendship" to the Jewish people at the start of his three-day trip to Austria.

Israeli President Shimon Peres met with Pope Benedict XVI during the visit to Italy amid an international push for peace in the Middle East.

Pope Benedict XVI has approved a document released Tuesday that says Orthodox churches were defective and that other Christian denominations were not true churches.

The Vatican on Saturday made public a letter Pope Benedict wrote to Catholics in China. In the letter, the pope said it is a priority of his papacy to restore diplomatic ties between the Vatican and China. The pope also extended an olive branch to Beijing, saying he hoped to reach an agreement with the officially atheist state, where millions of Catholics pray under a state-controlled church that does not recognize his authority. Sabina Castelfranco reports from Rome.

Pope Benedict XVI has endorsed adult stem cell research, distinguishing it from the manipulation of stem cells from human embryos, which the Roman Catholic Church condemns.