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Subscribe to RSSA nun irons a secondary altar prior to the arrival of Pope Benedict XVI to celebrate the holy mass of Pentecost Sunday at Saint Peter's Basilica in the Vatican on May 27.
Filippo Monteforte / AFP - Getty Images
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Where's the cake? Pope Benedict turns 85
Alessia Giuliani-Vatican Pool via Getty Images
Children dressed in traditional Bavarian costumes dance for Pope Benedict XVI during the Pontiff's 85th birthday celebrations in the Clementine Hall on April 16 in Vatican City, Vatican. Numerous visitors joined Pope Benedict in the celebrations, including his older brother and the premier of his native German state of Bavaria. Benedict, who took that name following his election on April 19, 2005, was born as Joseph Ratzinger on April 16, 1927 in the town of Marktl am Inn, Bavaria.
Gregorio Borgia/POOL/EPA
Bavaria's President Horst Seehofer presents a gift to Pope Benedict XVI on the occasion of his 85th birthday celebration in the Clementine hall in Vatican City on April 16.
Pope Benedict XVI, one of the oldest popes in history, celebrates his 85th birthday today. This Thursday marks seven years since German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger took the name Pope Benedict.
Joseph Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI in 2005. Look back at his life from childhood through his papacy.
Christians prepare for Easter around the world
K.M. Chaudary / AP
Pakistani Christians hold candles during an Easter vigil Mass in a church in Lahore, Pakistan, April 7.
As Christians took part in celebrations in Pakistan and other parts of the world, Pope Benedict XVI presided over services at the Vatican:
Pope Benedict, leading the world's Catholics into Easter, said on Saturday that technological progress, in the absence of awareness of God and moral values, is a threat to the world.
-- Reported by msnbc.com news services
Around the world, Christians celebrate the holiest week of the year.
Pontiff presides over Via Crucis procession on Good Friday
Gabriel Bouys / AFP - Getty Images
Pope Benedict XVI is shown at the Via Crucis (Way of the Cross) procession on April 6 in Rome. Christians mark the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on Friday in a series of ceremonies culminating on Sunday, when they celebrate Christ's resurrection.
Read about the Pope's remarks from the event
Fidel Castro greets Pope Benedict in Cuba
Osservatore Romano via Getty Images
Cuban leader Fidel Castro greets Pope Benedict XVI on March 28 in Havana.
Paul Hanna / AFP - Getty Images file
Flashback: Cuban President Fidel Castro talks to Pope John Paul II in Havana on Jan. 22 1998. Pope John was the first and only pope to visit the communist controlled country until Pope Benedict's visit this week.
Pope Benedict met with Cuban revolutionary icon Fidel Castro after saying mass in Havana on Wednesday, Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said.
The meeting comes towards the close of the pope's three-day visit to the Communist-run island which was the first time since Pope John Paul II’s historic 1998 trip to Cuba.
Cuba's single-party, Communist government never outlawed religion, but it expelled priests and closed religious schools upon Fidel Castro's takeover of Cuba in 1959.
Related links:
- Pope Benedict meets Fidel Castro after urging Cubans to seek 'authentic freedom'
- Vatican: Pope's Cuba trip should help democracy
- PhotoBlog: Pope Benedict celebrates mass with 300,000 Cubans
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In an unusual homily, the pontiff called for free thought, and more freedom for the Catholic Church in Cuba. NBC's Andrea Mitchell reports.
Pope Benedict celebrates mass with 300,000 Cubans, encourages 'truth' and 'freedom'
Juan Barreto / AFP - Getty Images
A nun celebrates before the arrival of Pope Benedict XVI at Revolution Square in Havana to celebrate mass, on March 28. Pope Benedict XVI was to meet Fidel Castro as he wraps up a three-day visit in which he called for a more "open society" on the Communist-run island.
Tony Gentile / Reuters
Priests stand in front of the altar before a mass celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI at the Revolution square in Havana, on March 28. Pope Benedict, speaking from Cuba's biggest stage, urged Cubans on Wednesday to search for "authentic freedom" as their country changes and pressed the island's communist government to give the Catholic Church more liberties, including the right to teach religion in schools and run universities.
Ismael Francisco / Cubadebate via AP
Security walk alongside Pope Bendict XVI in his popemobile as he makes his way to Revolution Square to celebrate Mass, in Havana, on March 28.
Pope Benedict, speaking from Cuba's biggest stage, urged Cubans on Wednesday to search for "authentic freedom" as their country changes and pressed the island's communist government to give the Catholic Church more liberties, including the right to teach religion in schools and run universities.
The 84-year-old pope celebrated an open-air Mass for some 300,000 people in Havana's Revolution Square, the centerpiece of a trip that began with a blast at communism and will end with a visit with Fidel Castro.
"The truth is a desire of the human person, the search for which always supposes the exercise of authentic freedom," he said.
In an apparent dig at Marxism, the pope also said some "wrongly interpret this search for the truth, leading them to irrationality and fanaticism; they close themselves in 'their truth,' and try to impose it on others."
-- msnbc.com news services
Ismael Francisco / Cubadebate via AP
In this photo shot with a fish eye lens, faithful gather at Revolution Square waiting for Pope Benedict XVI to celebrate Mass, in Havana, on March 28.
Ettore Ferrari / EPA
Pope Benedict XVI arrives to celebrate an open-air mass at the Revolution Square Jose Marti in Havana, Cuba, on March 28. Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro was to meet 28 March with Pope Benedict XVI in Havana, news reports said.
Rickey Rogers / Reuters
Faithful attend a mass celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI at Revolution Square in Havana, on March 28. Pope Benedict, speaking from Cuba's biggest stage, urged Cubans on Wednesday to search for "authentic freedom" as their country changes and pressed the island's communist government to give the Catholic Church more liberties, including the right to teach religion in schools and run universities.
Joe Raedle / Getty Images
People wait for the arrival of Pope Benedict XVI for his mass at Havana's Revolution Square on the last day of his three day visit on March 28 in Havana, Cuba. Fourteen years after Pope John Paul II visited Cuba, Pope Benedict is making his first trip to the communist country.
Juan Barreto / AFP - Getty Images
Pope Benedict XVI waves to believers from the popemobile, upon arrival at Revolution Square in Havana to celebrate mass, on March 28. Pope Benedict XVI was to meet Fidel Castro as he wraps up a three-day visit in which he called for a more "open society" on the Communist-run island.
Ramon Espinosa / AP
Nuns wait as worshippers gather in Revolution Square for the arrival of the Pope Benedict XVI to celebrate a Mass in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, March 28, 2012. Pope Benedict XVI wraps up his visit to Cuba on Wednesday with an open-air Mass in the shrine of the Cuban revolution.
Pope Benedict elevates 22 men, including one American, to Cardinal
Evandro Inetti / Zuma Press
Pope Benedict XVI leads the Concistory.
Pope Benedict, putting his mark on the Catholic Church's future, on Saturday inducted 22 men — including New York's Archbishop Timothy Dolan — into the exclusive club of cardinals who will one day elect one of their own to succeed him.
Dolan is already being touted by some
Vatican experts as a possible future candidate to become the first American pope.--Reported by msnbc.com news services
Franco Origlia / Getty Images
Newly appointed cardinal Timothy Michael Dolan, center, archbishop of New York, receives congratulations from other cardinals at the Saint Peter's Basilica on Feb. 18, in Vatican City, Vatican. The 84-year-old Pontiff installed 22 new cardinals during the ceremony, who will be responsible for choosing his successor.
Alberto Pizzoli / AFP - Getty Images
Newly-appointed cardinal Italian Giuseppe Versaldi shows his ring during the traditionnal courtesy visit after the consistory at the Vatican on Feb. 18.
Tony Gentile / Reuters
New Cardinal John Tong Hon of China, center, poses as he receives guests in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican, Feb. 18.
Alberto Pizzoli / AFP - Getty Images
Visitors queue on St Peter's square to take part in the traditionnal courtesy visit after the consistory at the Vatican on Feb. 18. Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday put his stamp of authority on the body that will elect his successor as he appointed 22 new cardinals at a time of roiling tensions in the Vatican administration.
Pier Paolo Cito / AP
Prelates walk in the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican after meeting the newly appointed cardinals elevated by Pope Benedict XVI, Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012.
Pope Benedict XVI elevates 22 Catholic churchmen to cardinals, including New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan and Edwin O' Brien, former archbishop of Baltimore. NBC's Lester Holt reports.
Lining up to see a vial of Pope John Paul II's blood in Colombia
Felipe Caicedo / Reuters
Guards carry a capsule containing blood from Pope John Paul II at the Cathedral of Bogota January 20, 2012. The blood will be on tour throughout the country.
Felipe Caicedo / Reuters
Parishioners queue to enter the cathedral to see the capsule containing the blood of Pope John Paul II.
Eitan Abramovich / AFP - Getty Images
Relatives of victims of the Colombian conflict pray during a mass with a vial with blood from late pope John Paul II, taken to Bogota's cathedral to be exhibited to the faithful.
Felipe Caicedo / Reuters
A capsule containing the blood taken from the beatified Pope John Paul II is displayed in the Cathedral of Bogota January 20, 2012.The blood will be on tour throughout the country according to local media.
See pictures of the pope previously on PhotoBlog.
Radek Pietruszka / EPA
Catholic faithful around the world celebrate the beatification of the late Pope John Paul II.
Ettore Ferrari / EPA
Pope Benedict XVI delivers his Christmas Day message from St. Peter’s Basilica
Pope Benedict XVI delivers the Christmas Day message from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City on Sunday. In his traditional message, Pope Benedict XVI urged the faithful to seek a "spiritual union" with the less fortunate around the world, including Africa and Asia, where people are suffering from the effects of wars and natural disasters.
Andrew Medichini / AP
Members of the cast of the musical "Ben Hur,"currently being performed in Rome, attend a general audience held by Pope Benedict XVI, in St. Peter's square at the Vatican, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011.
Yes, Pope Benedict, gladiators are back in Rome
Imagine the Pope's surprise as he walks out onto the balcony to see these guys waiting for him.
L'Osservatore Romano / Vatican Pool via Getty Images
Pope Benedict XVI travels to Assisi, Italy, by train on Oct. 27. The Pontiff made a pilgrimage to the home of Saint Francis in the Italian town to attend the meeting 'Pilgrims of truth, pilgrims of peace,' a day of reflection, dialogue and prayer for peace and justice in the world.
Pope Benedict makes a pilgrimage by train
See more images of Pope Benedict XVI in our slideshows: