Vatican City, the world's smallest country, hasn't seen a birth in 96 years due to its unique population of celibate clergy and absence of a hospital.

The Vatican houses the central government of the Catholic Church and is also an independent city-state. The pope is both the head of the Catholic Church and head of state. In order to govern both, he has the Roman Curia, meaning “court.” In modern terms, the Curia is the papal bureaucracy. It is an extension of the pope’s authority.

Pope Francis is resting after sleeping through the night with a ventilation mask as he undergoes hospital treatment for double pneumonia

These are the top historical and religious sites to visit as King Charles and Queen Camilla prepare their own April tour.

The pope, who has chronic lung disease, has been stable for two days after suffering two respiratory crises Monday.

On Ash Wednesday, observant Catholics receive a sign of the cross in ashes on their foreheads, a gesture that underscores human mortality. It is an obligatory day of fasting and abstinence for Catholics that signals the start of Christianity’s most penitent season.

The two-day workshop, titled “Artificial Intelligence, Justice, and Democracy,” was hosted by the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences.

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has been invited by Pope Francis to attend the World Meeting on Human Fraternity in Vatican City on September 12-13, 2025