Posts Tagged Vatican City

The pope and the devil: Is Francis an exorcist?

In this image made from video provided by APTN, Pope Francis lays his hands on the head of a young man on Sunday, May 19, 2013, after celebrating Mass in St. Peter’s Square. The young man heaved deeply a half-dozen times, convulsed and shook, and then slumped in his wheelchair as Francis prayed over him. The television station of the Italian bishops’ conference said it had surveyed exorcists, who agreed Francis either performed an exorcism or a prayer to free the man from the devil. The Vatican was more cautious Tuesday, saying Francis “didn’t intend to perform any exorcism. But as he often does for the sick or suffering, he simply intended to pray for someone.”  (AP Photo/APTN)

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis’ fascination with the devil took on remarkable new twists Tuesday, with a well-known exorcist insisting Francis helped “liberate” a Mexican man possessed by four different demons despite the Vatican’s insistence that no such papal exorcism took place.

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Vatican re-enters art world with Venice Biennale

Director of the Vatican Museums Antonio Paolucci, center, speaks at a press conference with Venice Biennale of Arts President Paolo Baratta, left, and Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, head of the Vatican Council for Culture, to announce the Vatican participation at the 55th edition of the Venice Biennale of Arts, Tuesday, May 14, 2013, at the Vatican. The Vatican is getting back into its centuries-old tradition of arts patronage with its first-ever exhibit at the Venice Biennale, commissioning a biblically inspired show about creation, destruction and renewal for one of the world's most prestigious contemporary arts festivals. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)

VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican is getting back into its centuries-old tradition of arts patronage with its first-ever exhibit at the Venice Biennale, commissioning a biblically inspired show about creation, destruction and renewal for one of the world’s most prestigious contemporary arts festivals.

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