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).

A Vatican official supposes that Palestinian refugees have the right to return to their homeland. He hopes Israeli-Palestinian peace talks would address the issue.

Pope Benedict XVI in the first meeting ever between a pope and reigning Saudi king lauded the contributions of Christians in Saudi Arabia - a country that embraces a strict version of Islam.

The Vatican arranges conference concerning the development of the human embryo, as part of its teaching and research program. The Vatican current bioethical discussions of cloning and stem cells often disregard the origin of organisms.

Flaming Pope Picture of John Paul II Is Seen as Blessing from Beyond the Grave.

The Vatican thinks the removal of feeding tubes from people in vegetative states to be an immoral act. The Vatican issued the statement in response to questions from bishops in the United States in July 2005 - just months after the case of an American woman, Terri Schiavo, made world headlines.

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 says Pope Benedict XVI discussed "the worrying situation" in Iraq with U.S. President George W. Bush during a meeting at the Vatican today. The Holy See said the pontiff told Bush he would like to see a "regional and negotiated" solution to conflicts in the Middle East.

Pope's bodyguards at the Vatican have overpowered a man who jumped a road barrier and tried to get into Pope Benedict XVI's popemobile, Wednesday.

Pope Benedict XVI departs on his first pilgrimage to Latin America a test of the 80-year-old pontiff's stamina and how he intends to deal with pressing challenges to his church in the region.

Former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami has met Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican. Khatami is one of the most senior Muslim clerics to visit the Roman Catholic pontiff since the pope made remarks last year that appeared to link Islam with violence.