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The Star
10 hours ago
- Business
- The Star
Cash-strapped Vatican unveils fundraising video centred on Pope Leo
FILE PHOTO: Pope Leo XIV waves to the crowd, on the day he holds a general audience in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican June 18, 2025. REUTERS/Yara Nardi/ File Photo VATICAN CITY (Reuters) -The Vatican on Wednesday unveiled a fundraising video centred on newly elected Pope Leo, urging the faithful to support his mission amid a serious financial crisis for the Catholic Church. The slick one-minute video was shown on giant screens in St. Peter's Square to crowds waiting for the pope's weekly audience, and spread on social media and the internet by Vatican news outlets. It starts with footage of the white smoke that announced Leo's election on May 8, followed by his first words as pope, "Peace be with you all", and images of cheering crowds, all accompanied by gentle piano music. The video urges people to donate to Peter's Pence - a papal fund used to support church activities and charity work which, according to latest available records, received 48.4 million euros ($55.66 million) in donations in 2023. The pope's home nation, the United States, accounted for the biggest share, equal to just over 28% of the total, but expenses far outstripped offerings, with the fund disbursing 103 million euros in the year, the Vatican said. "With your donation to Peter's Pence, you offer tangible support as the Holy Father takes his first steps as Pope. Help him proclaim the Gospel to the world and extend a hand to our brothers and sisters in need," the video says. Although the Vatican has not published a full budget report since 2022, the last set of accounts, approved in mid-2024, included an 83-million-euro ($94-million) shortfall, two knowledgeable sources told Reuters. The shortfall in the pension fund was estimated to total around 631 million euros by the Vatican's finance czar in 2022. There has been no official update to this figure, but several insiders told Reuters they believe it has ballooned. ($1 = 0.8695 euros) (Reporting by Alvise Armellini and Yara Nardi, editing by Ed Osmond)
Straits Times
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Napoli's Scudetto is reward for consistency and smart signings
Soccer Football - Serie A - Napoli fans gather to watch Napoli v Cagliari - Naples, Italy - May 23, 2025 Napoli fans celebrate winning Serie A in the Piazza del Plebiscito in Naples REUTERS/Yara Nardi Soccer Football - Serie A - Napoli fans gather to watch Napoli v Cagliari - Naples, Italy - May 23, 2025 Napoli fans celebrate winning Serie A in the Piazza del Plebiscito in Naples REUTERS/Yara Nardi Soccer Football - Serie A - Napoli v Cagliari - Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Naples, Italy - May 24, 2025 Napoli's Giovanni Di Lorenzo lifts the trophy as he celebrates winning Serie A with teammates REUTERS/Remo Casilli Soccer Football - Serie A - Napoli v Cagliari - Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Naples, Italy - May 24, 2025 Napoli's Giovanni Di Lorenzo lifts the trophy as he celebrates winning Serie A with teammates REUTERS/Matteo Ciambelli Napoli claimed their second Scudetto in three seasons on Friday, a triumph shaped as much by their own consistency as a light fixture list and the growing fatigue that sapped the strength from their closest rivals Inter Milan. The battle went to the final round of fixtures in which Napoli kept Inter at bay with a 2–0 home win over Cagliari as hundreds of thousands of fans celebrated across the Campania coastal city. The numbers do not lie. After a lacklustre last season, Napoli entered the campaign free of European distractions, while Inter juggled the demands of the Champions League with their domestic commitments. With 41 matches played after an early cup exit, Napoli had a far lighter schedule compared to Champions League finalists Inter, who have played 58 games. The season began on a sour note for new coach Antonio Conte's side, as they suffered a 3–0 defeat at Hellas Verona on the opening day. However, two key signings helped overcome that early setback and sparked a turnaround in fortunes. Conte brought in striker Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea and midfielder Scott McTominay from Manchester United, completing both deals within 24 hours. The pair went on to play a pivotal role, becoming the decisive forces that shifted the Serie A title race in favour of Napoli. They have scored 26 league goals between them, rekindling memories of the dynamic partnership between Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia which fired Napoli to glory two seasons ago. Since Kvaratskhelia's departure in January, McTominay has taken on greater responsibility, emerging as a key figure both on the pitch and among the fans. While the pair have not had quite the same impact that Osimhen and Kvaratskhelia did, their efforts were enough to carry the team across the finish line as they both scored in the final victory over Cagliari. The race for the league title was until March a three-way battle, with Atalanta pushing to keep pace with Inter and Napoli who frequently swapped positions. Atalanta's momentum, however, faltered shortly after long-time manager Gian Piero Gasperini announced in February he would not renew his contract. Juventus under manager Thiago Motta endured a frustrating first half of the campaign, collecting too many draws. Motta was replaced by Igor Tudor who steered Juve back into the top four but they were unable to mount a serious challenge to the leaders. For Inter, the season ultimately hinged on manager Simone Inzaghi having to decide whether to prioritise the chase for Serie A or the pursuit of European glory. With Napoli crowned Serie A champions, all eyes will be on the May 31 Champions League final against Paris St Germain to see if that decision will be vindicated. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Seagulls steal the show on papal conclave livestream. Viewers (and cats) love it.
It was a gull-orious day in Vatican City. Seagulls brought together people from across the globe who were eagerly awaiting the first sign of smoke from the Sistine Chapel chimney on Wednesday, May 7. But the birds cleared out at around 3 p.m. ET when black smoke began to plume from the chimney, indicating that more voting lies ahead for the ongoing papal conclave. Since livestream cameras went up early on Wednesday, a handful of seagulls, including a seagull chick, hopped around the church's chimney, entertaining onlookers in the Vatican and those watching from screens at home. A screenshot of USA TODAY's papal conclave livestream shows a seagull atop the Sistine Chapel roof, left, on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. Live updates: Cardinals in seclusion at papal conclave; world awaits first vote On Wednesday morning, the College of Cardinals − bishops and Vatican officials selected by the late Pope Francis − entered the Sistine Chapel for the first round of conclave voting. The cardinals are tasked with voting for one of their colleagues to take over the role of pontiff. During the conclave, the cardinals are sequestered from the "outside world," but their decisions are shared by black and white smoke that bellows from the Sistine Chapel chimney. Some seagulls are getting a front-row view of the action, much to the delight of the internet. Here's a look at the funny reactions on social media. Seagulls capture hearts … and cats Whether they intended to be influencers or not, the seagulls are making waves on social media. "This seagull is all of us rn (right now)," LifeSite Catholic posted to X on Wednesday. Not a first for seagulls This isn't the first time seagulls have made an appearance during a papal conclave. During the 2013 conclave that elected Pope Francis, a seagull appeared in several livestream shots of the Sistine Chapel chimney, similar to Wednesday. And as a result, an entire X account was created for the bird called Sistine Seagull, which lead to the creation of countless memes. Watch USA TODAY's conclave livestream USA TODAY is managing a livestream of the Sistine Chapel, including the church's chimney, through 9 p.m. ET on Wednesday, May 7. The livestream is available on the USA TODAY YouTube channel. Black smoke rises from the chimney on the Sistine Chapel, indicating no decision has been made to elect a new pope, at the Vatican, May 7, 2025. REUTERS/Yara Nardi What is a papal conclave? A papal conclave is an election of a new pope conducted by the College of Cardinals. For the election, which began on Wednesday, May 7, the cardinals enter the Sistine Chapel, take an oath of secrecy and seal the church's doors. Each cardinal votes by secret ballot. During this process, the cardinal says a prayer and then drops his ballot in a large chalice, according to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. If one candidate does not receive a two-thirds majority vote, another election is held. This process is repeated until one candidate has received the necessary votes. Black smoke plumes from the Sistine Chapel chimney when one candidate has not received the necessary majority votes, as was seen on Wednesday night. White smoke, on the other hand, is used to indicate when a candidate has received the necessary votes and will be announced as the new pope. Editor's note: This story has been updated to add new information. Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Seagull becomes star of papal conclave livestream: See funny reactions
Straits Times
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
New pope will likely move slowly to enact any change
A view of the Papal Cathedra inside the Basilica of St. John Lateran, the ceremonial chair that symbolizes the Pope's authority as Bishop of Rome, during a rare guided tour, in Rome, Italy, April 30, 2025. REUTERS/Yara Nardi Nuns walk in front of St. Peter's Basilica in St. Peter's Square ahead of the conclave, which will be held on May 7, at the Vatican, April 30, 2025. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Mueller arrives at the Vatican, as Pope Francis lies in state in St. Peter's Basilica, as seen from Rome, Italy, April 24, 2025. REUTERS/Hannah McKay A cardinal walks in St. Peter's Square ahead of the conclave which will be held on May 7, at the Vatican, April 29, 2025. REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli VATICAN CITY - Unlike U.S. President Donald Trump, who has lost no opportunity to demolish his predecessor's policies, the new Catholic pontiff will not summarily slash and burn Pope Francis' legacy, even if he is a conservative, experts and Church officials say. "It's not like the U.S. government where the president comes in and replaces the entire cabinet," said Rev. Thomas Reese, commentator for Religion News Service and author of "Inside the Vatican", a benchmark book on the Church organisation. "There is a built-in inertia of the institution." The new pope will be elected at a conclave that starts next week, and will take immediate charge of the Vatican, one of the world's few remaining absolute monarchies. But change comes slowly in the 2,000-year-old Church and, at least at first, will be more of style than substance. All Vatican senior officials, appointed for five-year terms, serve at the pleasure of the reigning pope and, when he dies, almost all of them have to "cease to exercise" their roles. However, a new pontiff usually rolls over existing mandates. It took Pope John Paul II, who was elected in 1978, about seven years to replace all the top officials at the Vatican, also known as the Roman Curia. Perhaps more important in the early phases of the papacy are the signals the new pope may send through gestures, phrases or off-the-cuff remarks, who he decides to meet, or not meet, and which groups he decides to address first. While Pope Francis did not change Church doctrine on homosexuality - the Church teaches that same-sex acts are sinful but same-sex attraction is not - his famous remark "who am I to judge?", made less than five months into his papacy, set the tone for a more welcoming Church. It also sparked a conservative backlash that lasted throughout his 12-year reign. Cardinal Gerhard Mueller, a conservative whom Francis fired as head of the Vatican's doctrinal department and who will take part in the conclave, said he believed Francis overstretched himself and tried to be too many things to too many people, creating confusion among the faithful. "What is important is that the (next) pope be the universal pastor of the Church and not everybody's personal parish priest," Mueller told Reuters. He said the next pope should quickly send signals that he was ready to "reject the great agenda of the LGBT and globalist lobby to destroy matrimony and the family as we know it". NOT SO FAST Cardinal Lars Anders Arborelius, a progressive prelate from Sweden who will also take part in the conclave, acknowledged that "not everyone is so open and so welcoming" as Francis was. If the next pope is conservative, Arborelius told Reuters, "he will not be able to change Francis' documents, but issue his own writings on various social issues that can differ in interpretation" of Church law. That takes time. The most important way a new pope can change the Church is through the appointment of bishops, spread out across the world. But those changes also often need years. Popes do not fire bishops unless they have committed a serious offence. They must wait until someone dies or reaches the mandatory retirement age of 75 for a chance to appoint a successor. It is similar to a U.S. president having to wait sometimes years for a vacancy on the Supreme Court. After his election in 1978, John Paul II started changing the theological make-up of the world's bishops, which he thought had moved in too liberal a direction since the end of the reforming Second Vatican Council in 1965. His successor, Pope Benedict XVI, continued that trend. Francis moved the pendulum the other way, and also appointed more than 80% of the cardinals who will choose his successor. But it was a gradual process. The number of cardinal electors under the age of 80 who will enter the conclave next week to elect the new pope stands at 133. Two others are eligible but will not participate for health reasons. The total of 135 cardinal electors is already 15 over the traditional maximum of 120, a limit which each pope since John Paul has breached. It will take at least a year for the number to fall back to or below 120. It is unknown if the new pope will respect the limit, but previous pontiffs have moved slowly in naming new cardinals. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Pope Francis' funeral through the eyes of Reuters photographers
By Keith Weir and Alexandra Hudson VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis' funeral brought world leaders, monarchs, and hundreds of thousands of people to Rome on Saturday to bid him farewell in a ceremony of breathtaking spectacle that offered age-old Catholic funeral rites and touching moments of personal grief. Sixteen Reuters photographers, some inside St. Peter's Basilica, others perched on podiums or deep within the crowd, shot the key moments and conveyed the sheer scale, capturing the solemnity as the pallbearers raised the pope's simple coffin and individuals clasped their hands in silent prayer. Rows of cardinals in their flowing bright red robes prayed and bowed their heads, nuns clutched rosaries and images of the pope, and pilgrims young and old battled with their exhaustion after waiting for hours. "Seeing the square from above, the casket, the silence, and the thousands of people there to pay tribute to one man — it's something very hard to put into words," said Reuters Rome-based photographer Yara Nardi. The death of 88-year-old Francis early on Easter Monday (April 21) came as a jolt after he had appeared in public on Easter Sunday, and set in motion coverage plans that had been long in the works but needed to be acted on immediately. Photographers flew in from as far away as Brazil and Doha to join Reuters' visuals team in Rome. Some had covered the funeral of Pope John Paul II in 2005, which meant they could anticipate some of the most powerful images. Others were working on such a large-scale event for the first time. The run-up to the funeral was intense with photographers working long hours capturing mourning as the pope lay in state, and the late-night arrival of leaders including U.S. President Donald Trump. On the day, the team set their alarms for as early as 3 a.m. (0100 GMT), seven hours before the start of the funeral, to ensure that they could get through crowds, security checks and then the inevitable jockeying with photographers from other media outlets to ensure a prime spot. Blue skies and a fluttering breeze helped to create vivid images, but the high spring temperatures were a challenge for sleep-deprived photographers. The pope's decision to break with tradition and be buried in the St. Mary Major Basilica saw his coffin driven through the streets and past crowds at Rome's ancient monuments, allowing a chance to capture compelling images from along the route. "I think being around large groups of religious people, whatever your faith, is always touching. I was there the day Francis was elected and that is maybe one of the most incredible things I have ever done - so to go full circle was amazing," said London-based photographer Dylan Martinez. Below is a selection of some Reuters pictures taken during the events of the day along with comments from the photographers who took them. Photographer Quotes Yara Nardi, Reuters photographer based in Rome, Italy 'We were given about 40 seconds for the photo from the statue of Christ inside the Basilica. It was my first time up there, and I got goosebumps the moment I arrived. Seeing the square from above, the casket, the silence, and the thousands of people there to pay tribute to one man—it's something very hard to put into words.' Mohammad Salem, Gaza Senior Visuals Journalist based in Doha, Qatar 'I encountered this scene when everyone attending the Pope's funeral was waiting outside the church. Sadness enveloped everyone, and it was a sorrowful moment. What caught my attention was this girl holding a picture of the pope.' Kai Pfaffenbach, Reuters photographer based in Frankfurt, Germany 'The fluttering of the pages of the Book of Gospels on the pope's coffin was very special as it also happened during the funeral of Pope John Paul II in 2005 which I covered. It happened at the end of the Mass, and I immediately had John Paul II's funeral in mind, but newer camera technology made it easier to capture the moment this time.' Claudia Greco, Reuters photographer based in Milan, Italy 'The day's challenges were technical. I was assigned to a spot in front of the Basilica and we were escorted to the area 10/15 minutes before the arrival of the coffin, so I had to fight for a position, as front on to the door as possible, and quickly try to activate the setup for the Wi-Fi.' Dylan Martinez, Senior Photographer, Special projects Europe and other regions, based in London, Britain 'I moved positions to find a spot to photograph the coffin passing Trump. I managed to squeeze into a very tight spot, precariously balanced on two chairs. In the end I was lucky with the angle and the way it lined up. I think being around large groups of religious people, whatever your faith, is always touching. I was there the day Francis was elected and that is maybe one of the most incredible things I have ever done - so to go full circle was amazing.' Alkis Konstantinidis, Greece Chief Visuals/Chief photographer Central and Eastern Europe based in Athens, Greece'These were the last moments before the pope's coffin entered the Basilica. The pallbearers slightly raised the coffin so that the people could say farewell to Pope Francis. Suddenly from the utter silence, people started applauding and shouting goodbye to the pope. At that moment, I decided to shoot a wide frame to include as many elements as possible of a historic moment, the death of a pope, and the burial outside the Vatican.' Vincenzo Livieri, freelance photographer based in Rome, Italy 'We had been told in a press release that the car would move at walking pace, so I had planned to take a clean background shot first and then follow to capture the crowd's reactions. Instead, the car passed much faster than expected, and I could only get the first type of shot. I gave my stool to an elderly woman next to me who was struggling with leg pain and exhaustion. She had come all the way from northern Italy to attend, despite her health issues.' Remo Casilli, Reuters photographer based in Rome, Italy 'There was a contrast between the jovial atmosphere that the Jubilee events have brought to the Vatican and the grief over the Pope's death. The photo above was probably the first chance to take pictures of the hearse carrying the coffin of Pope Francis. Also I liked the composition of the picture, with people placed at different levels, almost all taking pictures.' Kevin Coombs, Pictures Production Editor, based in London, Britain 'I was walking from St Peter's Square to the side entrance of the Vatican to scout a shot of the popemobile when it came about. The nuns were just standing right there. I love to look around the edges of an event, to go down a street that perhaps no one else would bother with. There is usually something interesting to be found, and the pictures to be taken can really complement the main news pictures shot from the photographer on the podium.' Guglielmo Mangiapane, Reuters photographer based in Rome, Italy 'I was waiting for the Mass to start and looking for feature images when I saw this guy sleeping in the middle of the square and I could really relate to him. I thought he was in the same condition as I was. This is, however, one of those events you really feel lucky to witness.' Mangiapane had had only one hour of sleep the night before the funeral. Hannah McKay, Reuters photographer based in London, Britain 'I was working on the Via Della Conciliazione to look at the faces of the people watching and listening to the funeral service in front of the Vatican, and out of the corner of my eye I could see a balloon with an image of the Pope on it bobbing up and down. So I made my way through the crowd and there laying on the ground playing with the balloon was 4-year-old Elizabetta Campagna. I quickly took some photographs of her before she moved and then approached her mother to ask for her name and age. It was just a nice moment of a youngster, amongst a sea of faces.' Susana Vera, Reuters photographer based in Madrid, Spain 'When the pope's coffin was taken away, I saw someone holding an Argentine flag and I made my way to shoot as he was raising it in the air, waiting for the flag to partially cover his face and have the rest of his head and arms silhouetted. Bergoglio (Francis) was from Argentina, and he was the first Latin American pope, so it felt important to try to capture that in the coverage.' Matteo Minella, freelance photographer based in Rome, Italy 'The most important thing I tried to do was never to interrupt a deeply intimate moment like prayer with my presence, so that the photos I took would truly represent that instant in the most authentic way. Many of those young people had spent the night in the streets near St. Peter's, and once they entered the square and secured a spot, they fell asleep — some woke up as soon as the funeral began, others only after it ended.' Carlos Barria, Reuters photographer based in San Francisco, California, USA 'The challenges are numerous, ranging from the long hours of work, to navigating the crowd of thousands and attempting to send pictures with slow internet due to the overcrowding. But we never lost sight of the story, which is about the people who came to the Vatican to attend this event. Sometimes, during long hours of waiting, I take the time to look around and find those quiet moments that reveal the context of the story. Like the picture of Antonino Siracusa, part of a group of homeless and poor chosen to bid a final farewell to Pope Francis.' Matteo Ciambelli, freelance photographer based in Naples, Italy 'The procession was only in front of me for a few seconds. I had to track the vehicle carrying the coffin with my camera while adjusting for the changing light as clouds moved across the sun. The raised arms of mourners and the phones held high to record the moment added emotional depth to the scene. Once the coffin came into view, it was simply a matter of following the car and pressing the shutter.' Amanda Perobelli, Reuters photographer based in Sao Paolo, Brazil 'I have never covered an event this big and this historical, and this is also my first time in Italy. Rome kind of breathes religion and Catholicism. I thought this image was interesting because the Colosseum has so much history itself, and this is part of that history now.' (Writing by Keith Weir; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)
