Vatican city

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama confirmed plans on Sept. 21 to establish a "Sovereign State of the Bektashi Order" in the nation's capital of Tirana to "promote a tolerant version of Islam that Albania is proud of."

Rama revealed his vision for a Vatican-style enclave for the Bektashi, Islamic Sufi mystic order.

A recent court indictment has revealed that  Mehmet Ali Ağca, the killer of journalist Abdi İpekçi and the perpetrator of failed assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II changed his surname to "Aslan," meaning "lion" in English.

An Istanbul court used the new surname of Ağca during a trial in which he faced 15 years in prison for looting.

The Vatican and Greece were finalizing a deal Tuesday for the return of three sculpture fragments from the Parthenon that have been in the collection of the Vatican Museums for two centuries, the latest case of a Western museum bowing to demands for restitution.

Vatican City – The leadership of the Slovenian Bishops’ Conference met with Pope Francis during their visit to the Holy See on Monday and Tuesday. Sexual abuse in the Catholic Church was one of the main points of discussion in their meetings, including the one with the Pope.

Turkey has reshuffled dozens of ambassadors, including Deputy Foreign Minister Yavuz Selim Kıran, who has been appointed as Turkey's ambassador to Zagreb.

Vatican City – President Borut Pahor will pay an official visit to the Vatican on Monday at the invitation of Pope Francis to mark the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Slovenia and the Holy See.

The Vatican's Apostolic Library, which is home to ancient manuscripts, rare books and reading rooms for scholars is opening its doors to the general public with a small new exhibition space aimed at pairing its artistic treasures with contemporary art.

The Vatican has protested to Italy over a bill on homophobia currently passing through parliament.

The "Zan" bill would punish discrimination and incitement to violence against the LGBT community, as well as women and people with disabilities.

The Vatican argues the bill would curb religious freedoms secured in a treaty signed between Italy and Vatican Repubic.

Pope Francis landed in war-battered Iraq on March 5 on a first-ever papal visit, defying security fears and the pandemic to comfort one of the world's oldest and most persecuted Christian communities.

The 84-year-old, who said he was travelling to Iraq as a "pilgrim of peace", will also reach out to Shiite Muslims when he meets Iraq's top cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani.

Christmas festivities began on Dec. 25, with hundreds of millions across the world under coronavirus restrictions celebrating a pared-down version of a holiday typically marked by travel and large gatherings.