Rediff.com takes look at the grand lakeside villa, which will be Benedict's first refuge.
"The pope announced that he will leave his ministry at 8:00 pm (1900 GMT) on February 28," said Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi.
There was "no verifiable information" about the fate of a priest from Kerala who was allegedly abducted by terror group Islamic State in Yemen earlier this month, government sources said on Monday.
Black smoke billowed from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel on Tuesday night, indicating that cardinals gathered at the Vatican to elect a new pope had not chosen one in the first ballot of their conclave.
A recently re-discovered secret Bible in which Jesus is believed to predict the coming of the Prophet Muhammad to earth has sparked serious interest from the Vatican.
An estimated two lakh people thronged St Peter's Square at Vatican City on Wednesday to hear Pope Benedict's final address
Only 117 of the total of 206 Cardinals of the Universal Catholic Church will be eligible to vote in the conclave to elect the 266th successor of St Peter as they are below the age of 80 years, Deputy Secretary General and Spokesman of the Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council Fr Stephen Alathara said.
Rediff.com takes a look at some of the prominent papabile cardinals who might take over from Pope Benedict XVI.
The protest led by the nuns and Catholic reformist forums in Kochi in September had led to a public outrage and demands for action against the bishop.
Want to catch up on all that happened across the world in the week gone by? Here are 10 images that says it all.
In the third of his four-part series that gives a Pakistani perspective on India's politics, society and economy, Amir Mateen recalls an Indian Sikh's lament, "Why does Pakistan not allow us to visit Kartarpur Sahib? It's like Medina to us, the holiest of holy places; how would you feel if Muslims are not allowed to visit Medina or Christians stopped from visiting Jerusalem or the Vatican?"
In the third of his four-part series that gives a Pakistani perspective on India's politics, society and economy, Amir Mateen recalls an Indian Sikh's lament, "Why does Pakistan not allow us to visit Kartarpur Sahib? It's like Medina to us, the holiest of holy places; how would you feel if Muslims are not allowed to visit Medina or Christians stopped from visiting Jerusalem or the Vatican?"
'It is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the doing. It is not how much we give, but how much love we put in the giving.' This is what Mother Teresa taught the nuns and her co-workers.
The Bodleian library at the University of Oxford and the Vatican libraries are collaborating on a project to bring ancient texts into the digital era, which will make 1.5 million pages available online.
In a chilling new development, Habeeb Al Sadr, Iraq's ambassador to the Vatican, warned that Pope Francis could be on IS' list of targets, ahead of his visit to Albania this weekend and Turkey in November.
A minor Christian girl, who was arrested last month after being falsely accused of blasphemy, was on Friday granted bail by a Pakistani court, a case that has drawn concern from Western governments and the Vatican.
Warning that Christians currently suffer more persecution because of their faith than any other religious group, the Vatican on Tuesday told the United Nations that the denial of religious freedom threatened peace and security and precluded integral human development.
The 54-year old Mulakkal was arrested by Kerala police after intense interrogation in Kochi over the last three days.
Leaders across political parties hailed the canonisation of Mother Teresa.
Maradona was a uniquely gifted player who rose from the tough streets of Buenos Aires to reach the pinnacle of his sport.
Kolkata-based artist and co-worker of the Missionaries of Charity, Ritu Singh, who has had a long association with the order, fondly remembers the gentle Sister Nirmala, who passed away on Tuesday, sharing anecdotes that truly uplift the spirit.
We bring you a collection of some of the odd moments from around the world in recent weeks.
We bring you a list of countries that do not have armed forces, or have done away with them completely
The Bishop will have to surrender his passport and his entry to Kerala will be restricted.
The Vatican declined to comment on RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's controversial remarks.
In a move reportedly sanctioned by Pope Benedict XVI, the Catholic Church has officially forgiven The Beatles for their sex and substance-fueled excesses and their infamous remark of being "more popular than Jesus".
The world celebrates Christmas with great vigour and joy!
An Argentine football club has recreated the Sistine Chapel on the ceiling of its gymnasium, with Diego Maradona as God, Lionel Messi as Adam and a host of angels that include Mario Kempes, Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Batistuta.
Angels & Demons is a satisfying serving of popcorn cinema.
Coming just a day after she was canonised by Pope Francis in the Vatican City, the death anniversary had a special significance on Monday.
Seventy two-year-old Archbishop of Guwahati of Salesian Order Thomas Menamparampil has been asked by Pope Benedict XVI to prepare the meditation prayers for Way of the Cross, which the Papal Head himself will lead on Good Friday on April 10 at the Roman Colosseum.
Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon works to solve a murder and prevent a terrorist act against the Vatican in the adaptation of Angels & Demons, a prequel to the 2006 smash hit Da Vinci Code.
According to figures, Muslims make up 19.2 per cent of the world's population while Catholics 17.4 per cent. However, Monsignor Formenti said that if all Christian groups were considered, including Orthodox churches, Anglicans and Protestants, Christians made up 33 per cent of the world's population -- or about two billion. The data referred to 2006.
The world needs more regulation today, not a return to autarky
Pope Francis on Sunday declared Father Kuriakose Elias Chavara and Sister Euphrasia Eluventhinkal from India as saints at Vatican.
Major Archbishop and Catholicose of SMC, Baselios Mar Cleemis made the announcement regarding this at St Mary's Cathedral in Thiruvananthapuram in the presence of senior prelates, priests, religions and lay members.
The House of Commons petitions committee has confirmed that 77,000 signatures were added fraudulently and have been removed.
The wedding will take place in Delhi.
The 56-year-old Tom Uzhunnalil was taken by Islamic State gunmen after they launched an attack on an elderly care home in Aden.
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