In a wall of the tiny museum at Rome's majestic central synagogue hangs a copy of the 1555 edict of Pope Paul IV that confined the Jews to the ghetto, branding them as killers of Christ. The display stands as an permanent reminder of the tortured two ...

State visit to Holy See understood to be deeply significant for monarch personally and will celebrate Papal Jubilee held every 25 years

Who was the very first pope? How many popes have there been? Has anyone ever refused the office? For an institution that has existed for nearly 2,000 years, most people know very little about the papacy and its history. Here are some of the most commonly ...