https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Italy in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed The Vatican has revealed it is working to expand the cafe area on the roof terrace of St Peter's basilica, with a new dining area potentially opening this year. https://www.thelocal.it/20260130/vatican-to-open-rooftop-bistro-at-st-peters-basilica Fri, 30 Jan 2026 09:13:45 +0100 vatican-to-open-rooftop-bistro-at-st-peters-basilica Angelo Becciu, an Italian cardinal once tipped as a papal contender, has been sentenced to five years and six months in prison. https://www.thelocal.it/20231216/italian-cardinal-handed-prison-sentence-for-financial-crimes Sat, 16 Dec 2023 20:58:57 +0100 italian-cardinal-handed-prison-sentence-for-financial-crimes Senators voted almost unanimously on Thursday to set up a new joint parliamentary inquiry into the case of teenagers Emanuela Orlandi and Mirella Gregori who vanished in 1983. https://www.thelocal.it/20231110/vatican-girl-italys-senate-approves-new-inquiry-into-orlandi-disappearance Fri, 10 Nov 2023 10:39:37 +0100 vatican-girl-italys-senate-approves-new-inquiry-into-orlandi-disappearance Rome prosecutors investigating the disappearance of teenager Emanuela Orlandi 40 years ago are looking into the possible involvement of her uncle following information supplied by the Vatican, Italian media reported on Tuesday. https://www.thelocal.it/20230711/vatican-girl-disappearance-prosecutors-investigate-teenagers-uncle Tue, 11 Jul 2023 17:02:32 +0200 vatican-girl-disappearance-prosecutors-investigate-teenagers-uncle After nearly a century as pontiffs’ bread supplier of choice, Rome’s Arrigoni bakery will soon put up the shutters for the last time as mass tourism in the Eternal City ultimately proved deadly for the business. https://www.thelocal.it/20230707/historic-popes-baker-shuts-up-shop-in-rome Fri, 07 Jul 2023 11:47:55 +0200 historic-popes-baker-shuts-up-shop-in-rome Police arrested a man who used his car to force a gate at the Vatican City on Thursday evening after he was refused entry, said officials at the Holy See. https://www.thelocal.it/20230519/driver-arrested-after-ramming-car-through-vatican-gate Fri, 19 May 2023 13:00:56 +0200 driver-arrested-after-ramming-car-through-vatican-gate Pope Francis, who is recovering from bronchitis and last week spent three nights in hospital, did not attend the traditional "Way of the Cross" prayer service on Good Friday, the Vatican said. https://www.thelocal.it/20230407/pope-to-skip-good-friday-procession-due-to-cold-weather-in-rome Fri, 07 Apr 2023 19:30:49 +0200 pope-to-skip-good-friday-procession-due-to-cold-weather-in-rome Pope Francis spent Wednesday night in Rome's Gemelli hospital, where the 86-year-old will now continue receiving treatment for what the Vatican has said is a respiratory infection. https://www.thelocal.it/20230330/pope-to-spend-a-few-nights-in-hospital-with-breathing-difficulties Thu, 30 Mar 2023 11:22:49 +0200 pope-to-spend-a-few-nights-in-hospital-with-breathing-difficulties The Vatican announced on Tuesday that it was opening a new inquiry into the 1983 disappearance of teenager Emanuela Orlandi, a case which has sparked countless theories and hit Netflix series Vatican Girl. https://www.thelocal.it/20230110/emanuela-orlandi-disappearance-vatican-reopens-40-year-old-case Tue, 10 Jan 2023 14:16:40 +0100 emanuela-orlandi-disappearance-vatican-reopens-40-year-old-case Tens of thousands of Catholics queued to pay their respects on Monday to former pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican, at the start of three days of lying-in-state at St Peter's Basilica before his funeral. https://www.thelocal.it/20230102/thousands-pay-tribute-in-rome-to-ex-pope-benedict-at-lying-in-state Mon, 02 Jan 2023 14:31:41 +0100 thousands-pay-tribute-in-rome-to-ex-pope-benedict-at-lying-in-state Former pope Benedict XVI has died at the age of 95, the Vatican announced Saturday, almost a decade after he became the first pontiff to resign in six centuries. https://www.thelocal.it/20221231/former-pope-benedict-xvi-dead-at-95 Sat, 31 Dec 2022 12:10:25 +0100 former-pope-benedict-xvi-dead-at-95 US actor Jason Momoa apologised after fans reacted angrily to him taking snaps in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel despite a strict photography ban. https://www.thelocal.it/20220517/i-love-italy-jason-momoa-apologises-over-sistine-chapel-photos Tue, 17 May 2022 12:15:08 +0200 i-love-italy-jason-momoa-apologises-over-sistine-chapel-photos Victims of paedophile priests on Tuesday unveiled a campaign for Italy to hold an independent investigation into abuse carried out on the Vatican's doorstep. https://www.thelocal.it/20220215/now-or-never-victims-of-italys-predator-priests-push-for-abuse-inquiry Tue, 15 Feb 2022 13:15:46 +0100 now-or-never-victims-of-italys-predator-priests-push-for-abuse-inquiry Pope Francis urged the world to "roll up our sleeves" for peace in a New Year's message Saturday, while calling violence against women an affront to God. https://www.thelocal.it/20220101/pope-urges-peace-in-vatican-new-year-address-and-says-hurting-women-insults-god Sat, 01 Jan 2022 17:09:02 +0100 pope-urges-peace-in-vatican-new-year-address-and-says-hurting-women-insults-god Pope Francis Friday called on the faithful to value the "little things in life" and show solidarity with the poor in his Christmas Eve mass in St. Peter's Basilica. https://www.thelocal.it/20211225/pope-calls-for-humility-in-vatican-christmas-eve-mass Sat, 25 Dec 2021 09:34:25 +0100 pope-calls-for-humility-in-vatican-christmas-eve-mass Pope Francis expressed his pleasure at being once again among his flock on Wednesday as he delivered his weekly general audience in public for the first time in six months. https://www.thelocal.it/20210512/pope-resumes-public-audience-after-six-months-of-coronavirus-closure Wed, 12 May 2021 14:03:03 +0200 pope-resumes-public-audience-after-six-months-of-coronavirus-closure Prestigious addresses in Paris, London and Geneva and 3,000 properties across Rome: the Vatican has revealed more details of its real estate empire, a source of income - and scandal. https://www.thelocal.it/20210221/property-a-blessing-and-a-burden-for-the-vatican Sun, 21 Feb 2021 11:01:44 +0100 property-a-blessing-and-a-burden-for-the-vatican Vatican staff who refuse to be vaccinated against Covid-19 could be sacked under a decree made public Thursday by the city state, which employs around 5,000 people. https://www.thelocal.it/20210218/covid-19-vatican-staff-who-refuse-vaccination-could-be-fired Thu, 18 Feb 2021 18:06:17 +0100 covid-19-vatican-staff-who-refuse-vaccination-could-be-fired Tour guides and visitors have accused the Vatican Museums of not following Covid-19 protocols, saying their visits were spoiled by overcrowding at the newly-reopened attraction on Saturday. https://www.thelocal.it/20210216/it-was-hell-italian-tour-guides-slam-overcrowding-at-reopened-vatican-museums Tue, 16 Feb 2021 16:04:21 +0100 it-was-hell-italian-tour-guides-slam-overcrowding-at-reopened-vatican-museums Pope Francis has broken with Catholic tradition to appoint a woman as an undersecretary of the synod of bishops, the first to hold the post with voting rights in a body that studies major questions of doctrine. https://www.thelocal.it/20210207/pope-appoints-first-woman-to-senior-synod-post Sun, 07 Feb 2021 12:03:59 +0100 pope-appoints-first-woman-to-senior-synod-post