PhotoBlog - vatican

11
Feb
2013
10:34am, EST
Pope surprises the world, says that he will step down
Vatican Press Office via AFP - Getty Images
Pope Benedict XVI leaves a consistorio Feb. 11 at The Vatican after announcing that he will step aside.
Osservatore Romano / Reuters
Pope Benedict XVI (third from right) attends a consistory at the Vatican on Feb. 11, 2013.
Published at 10:30 a.m. ET:
L'Osservatore Romano via AP
The pope and Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Dean of the College of Cardinals, hug each other after the pontiff announced that he would abdicate on Feb. 28.
By Claudio Lavanga and Alastair Jamieson, NBC News:Pope Benedict XVI announced Monday he will step aside as leader of the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics on Feb. 28, saying he no longer has the strength to carry out his duties.
Speaking in Latin, the 85-year-old announced his decision during an address at the "Concistory for the canonization of the martyrs of Otranto", a small event held early in the morning. Read full story
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Alessandro Bianchi / Reuters
Two priests walk in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican on Feb. 11 after the announcement.
Gregorio Borgia / AP
Postcards of Pope Benedict XVI, bottom, and the late Pope John Paul II are displayed outside a kiosk with St. Peter's Basilica in the background at the Vatican on Feb. 11.
Alessandro Di Meo / EPA
The cross on top of the St. Peter's dome is reflected in a puddle following Pope Benedict XVI's announcement of his abdication on Feb. 11.
Slideshow: The life of Pope Benedict XVI
Joseph Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI in 2005. Look back at his life from childhood through his papacy.
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22
Jan
2013
10:26am, EST
Beefing up security: Blacksmiths forge new suit of armor for bulkier Vatican guards
Mathias Kniepeiss / Getty Images
A new suit of armor being made for the Vatican Swiss Guard is seen on Jan. 21, 2013 at the Schmiede Schmidberger workshop in Molln, Austria.
Alessandro Bianchi / Reuters, file
Swiss Guards stand before Pope Benedict XVI makes an address from a balcony in St. Peter's Square in the Vatican City on Dec. 25, 2012.
The Vatican has contracted a family of blacksmiths in an Austrian village to manufacture 80 new sets of armor in a project that will take seven years to complete.
Most of the existing armor worn by the Vatican's Swiss Guard dates back at least 100 years when people were generally smaller than they are today, so the existing armor does not always fit today's bulkier guards.
The firm of blacksmiths, Schmiede Schmidberger, is a family-run operation that has been in existence since the year 1350.
-- Getty Images
Related content:

Modern keys for ancient walls: Vatican launches swipe-card security system

As Pope changes, Swiss Guard stays the same

Mathias Kniepeiss / Getty Images
Blacksmith Georg Schmidberger crafts a piece of metal that will become part of a suit of armor.
Mathias Kniepeiss / Getty Images
The design for a new suit of armor.
Mathias Kniepeiss / Getty Images
Tools in the Schmiede Schmidberger workshop.
Mathias Kniepeiss / Getty Images
An exterior view of the workshop.
Mathias Kniepeiss / Getty Images
Johann Schmidberger Senior works on the Swiss Guard armor.
Mathias Kniepeiss / Getty Images
Schmiede Schmidberger is a family-run operation that has been in existence since the year 1350.
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18 comments
wow, a family blacksmith that's been running since 1350
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7
Jan
2013
7:40am, EST
Vatican Pool via Getty Images
Four newly named archbishops attend the Epiphany Mass at the St. Peter's Basilica on Jan. 6, 2013 in Vatican City. During the ceremony Pope Benedict XVI named four new archbishops including his personal secretary Georg Gaenswein.
Pope urges new archbishops to be 'courageous'
Reuters reports — Pope Benedict said on Sunday that Roman Catholic leaders must have the courage to stand up to attacks by "intolerant agnosticism" prevalent in many countries.
The 85-year-old pontiff celebrated Mass on the day Christians in the West mark the Epiphany, and ordained four new archbishops including his personal secretary.
"Today's regnant agnosticism has its own dogmas and is extremely intolerant regarding anything that would question it and the criteria it employs," the pope said.
"Therefore the courage to contradict the prevailing mindset is particularly urgent for a bishop today. He must be courageous," he said. Read the full story.
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12
Dec
2012
5:59am, EST
Giampiero Sposito / Reuters
A combination picture shows Pope Benedict XVI posting his first tweet using an iPad tablet after his Wednesday general audience in Paul VI's Hall at the Vatican on December 12, 2012.
The Pope sends his first tweet
NBC News reports — After days of expectation and buildup, the leader of the world’s billion-plus Roman Catholics finally did it: He tweeted.
“Dear friends, I am pleased to get in touch with you through Twitter. Thank you for your generous response. I bless all of you from my heart,” he said on his English-language account.
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1 comment
We gonna send da tweet to show da flock weeza comin up toadate wizza de gizmos. Blessa you all anna herez a little emoticona jus for you :-)
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11
Oct
2012
9:15pm, EDT
Max Rossi / Reuters
Pope urges stop to 'spiritual desertification'
Faithful attend a candlelight procession to mark the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council at the Vatican, Oct. 11, 2012. Pope Benedict XVI urged lapsed and lukewarm Roman Catholics to rediscover their Church and stop the advance of "spiritual desertification."
Previously on PhotoBlog: Pope inaugurates 'Year of Faith' amid concerns over rising secularism
1 comment
Pope Benedict XVI urged lapsed and lukewarm Roman Catholics to rediscover their Church and stop the advance of "spiritual desertification." Translation: The collection plates are getting low.
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11
Oct
2012
7:23am, EDT
Pope inaugurates 'Year of Faith' amid concerns over rising secularism
Stefano Rellandini / Reuters
Pope Benedict XVI arrives to conduct mass to open the year of faith at the Vatican October 11, 2012.
Stefano Rellandini / Reuters
Pope Benedict XVI waves as he arrives to conduct mass.
Bishops walk in a solemn procession through St Peter's Square as they arrive for a mass led by the pontiff.
Bishops from around the world gather for the mass.
Stefano Rellandini / Reuters
A Swiss guard stands before the arrival of Pope Benedict XVI.
Pope Benedict opened a global "Year of Faith" as he conducted mass in St. Peter's Square on Thursday, Agence France Presse reports. The Vatican is celebrating the 50th anniversary of a council that changed the face of Catholicism, as it tries to rekindle the religious fervor of the time amid rising secularism.
A Pew Research Center study released Tuesday found that one in five Americans is religiously unaffiliated, including one in three adults under 30.
Read a transcript of the Pope's homily at The National Catholic Register.
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99 comments
Welcome to a secular world, Pope. Hope you enjoy the fact that you and yours made it what it is.
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3
Oct
2012
7:37am, EDT
'Enough!' Business owner mounts protest on dome of St. Peter's Basilica
Andrew Medichini / AP
Italian businessman Marcello di Finizio stands above his banner as he protests on St. Peter's dome at the Vatican on Oct. 3, 2012.
Vatican City — An Italian man clambered onto a ledge on the huge dome of St Peter's Basilica on Tuesday to stage a precarious protest against Prime Minister Mario Monti and the European Union.
Video footage showed the man, identified as Marcello Di Finizio, jumping over railings near the top of the 450-foot high dome on Tuesday afternoon, shocking visitors taking a tour. He then tied a cord to the railings and abseiled to a ledge over a window in the cupola.
Filippo Monteforte / AFP - Getty Images
Marcello di Finizio continues his protest on Wednesday. The businessman from Trieste in northern Italy managed to slip past security guards at the Vatican on Tuesday evening.
Tottering on the ledge, Di Finizio unveiled a banner reading: "Help! Enough Monti, Enough Europe! Enough Multinationals!".
Officials said Wednesday that the man, who identified himself as the owner of a beach resort, refused appeals from government ministers offering to meet with him if he would come down.
-- Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report
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Video shows and anti-austerity protester jumping the railing at the observation deck atop St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican to set up camp with a sign on the iconic Italian dome. NBC's Michelle Kosinski reports.

25 comments
The Vatican does have a military force - it's called the Swiss Guard. There are plenty of other sovereign nations in the world that have an official religion or that are run by religious leaders. As far as the scandals, that is not unique to the Catholic Church.
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12
Jun
2012
6:51pm, EDT
Fifth generation blacksmith brothers forge Swiss Guard harnesses
Lisi Niesner / Reuters
Blacksmith Georg Schmidberger works on a harness for the Vatican Swiss Guard at his workshop in Molln, Upper Austria on June 12.
Lisi Niesner / Reuters
Blacksmith Johann Schmidberger works on a harness for the Vatican Swiss Guard.
Lisi Niesner / Reuters
Blacksmith Georg Schmidberger works on a harness for the Vatican Swiss Guard.
Lisi Niesner / Reuters
Blacksmith brothers Johann and Georg Schmidberger work on a harness for the Vatican Swiss Guard at their workshop in Molln, Upper Austria on June 12.
By Jon Sweeney, NBC News
Blacksmith brothers Johann and Georg Schmidberger produce made-to-order handmade harnesses for the Vatican Swiss Guard.
Each piece takes 120 hours of handiwork and they hardly differ from the 500-year-old originals. The brothers carry on the tradition of the blacksmith trade in the fifth generation of their family.
Lisi Niesner / Reuters
Hammers are pictured at a workshop in Molln, Upper Austria where handmade harnesses for the Vatican Swiss Guard are produced.
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16
Apr
2012
4:27pm, EDT
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.
By Jonathan Sanger, NBC News
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.
Slideshow: The life of Pope Benedict XVI
Joseph Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI in 2005. Look back at his life from childhood through his papacy.
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7
Apr
2012
8:23pm, EDT
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.

Benedict presided at a solemn Easter vigil Mass in St Peter's Basilica to usher the 1.2 billion-member church into the most important day of its liturgical calendar

-- Reported by msnbc.com news services
Slideshow: Easter celebrations
Around the world, Christians celebrate the holiest week of the year.
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11
Jan
2012
7:36am, EST
Filippo Monteforte / AFP - Getty Images
A clown jokes as he is surrounded by nuns at the end of Pope Benedict XVI's weekly general audience on Jan. 12, 2012 at Paul VI hall at the Vatican.
Clowning around with nuns
See more pictures from the Vatican on PhotoBlog.
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6
Jan
2012
8:41am, EST
Gabriel Bouys / AFP - Getty Images
Marek Solczynski and Charles John Brown lie on the floor before being appointed bishops by Pope Benedict XVI during the Eucharist for the Solemnity of Epiphany on Jan. 6, 2012 at St Peter's basilica at the Vatican. The pontiff appointed two new bishops during the mass.
Pope appoints new bishops, names 22 cardinals
Pope Benedict XVI named 22 new cardinals Friday, including two Americans. Read more.
2 comments
Oops! I thought the picture showed Anderson Cooper and Chris Mathews praying for their man Obama.
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