Sylvia Poggioli

Long Hidden, Vatican Painting Linked To Native Americans

Sylvia Poggioli — Sun, 05 May 2013 09:27:00 +0000

For close to 400 years, the painting was closed off to the world.

Suspended Coffee: Old Italian Custom Spreads Across Poorer EU

Sylvia Poggioli — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 16:40:00 +0000

Tough economic times and growing poverty in much of Europe are reviving a humble tradition that began some one-hundred years ago in the Italian city of Naples.

Pope Francis Delivers First Easter Sunday Mass

Sylvia Poggioli — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 11:33:00 +0000

Pope Francis celebrated his first Easter Sunday Mass praying for world peace and urging a diplomatic solution to the standoff on the Korean peninsula.

Only two weeks after his election, the first pope from the developing world continues to make his mark on the Catholic Church.

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Amanda Knox May Face Retrial After Italian Court Ruling

Sylvia Poggioli — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 13:57:00 +0000

In a surprise ruling, Italy's highest court ordered a retrial of American student Amanda Knox and her former boyfriend for the murder of British student Meredith Kercher. The ruling overturned the 2011 acquittal of the two defendants after they had spent four years in jail.

Sistine Chapel Conclave Prep Includes Ensuring Social Media Blackout

Sylvia Poggioli — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 10:50:00 +0000

Last-minute preparations are under way at the Vatican where the conclave to elect the new pope begins Tuesday.

The 115 cardinal electors will remain at the Sistine Chapel incommunicado from the rest of the world as they vote. In the era of social media, however, Vatican officials are taking every precaution to prevent cardinals from yielding to the temptation to tweet and text.

In one corner of the chapel, workers have already installed a century-old cast-iron stove, where the voting ballots are to be burned after being tallied.

Cardinals At Odds Over When To Begin Choosing Next Pope

Sylvia Poggioli — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 12:56:00 +0000

The College of Cardinals is holding its first official meetings at the Vatican on Monday. The top agenda item is choosing which day to start the closed-door conclave that will elect the new pope. With no clear front-runner, the conclave outcome is unpredictable.

The papal resignation has put the cardinals in an unprecedented situation in modern history.

"The real mood is of shock and disappointment — this resignation desacralized the figure of the pope," says Massimo Franco, author of several books about the Vatican.

'The Real Jiminy Cricket': Unlikely Candidate Upends Italian Elections

Sylvia Poggioli — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 08:28:00 +0000

Italy's election campaign has been dominated by an upstart comedian-turned-politician whose Five Star Movement is soaring in the polls. The movement is not expected to win in the weekend vote, but its strong presence in Parliament could be destabilizing and reignite the eurozone crisis.

Beppe Grillo is a standup comedian and the country's most popular blogger; 63 years old, with a mane of grey curly hair, he's hyperactive and foul-mouthed.

Greece's Economic Crisis Reveals Fault Lines In The Media

Sylvia Poggioli — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 19:58:00 +0000

Three years of spiraling economic crisis in Greece have devastated every sector of the economy. The Greek media are among the hardest hit. Many newspapers and TV outlets have closed or are on the verge, and some 4,000 journalists have lost their jobs.

Many people believe the country's news media have failed to cover the crisis — and lost credibility along the way.

Knights Of Malta Celebrates 900th Anniversary At Vatican

Sylvia Poggioli — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 15:53:00 +0000

Pilgrims and tourists visiting the Vatican received a special treat Saturday, when some 4,000 members of the Knights of Malta marched in procession to the tomb of St. Peter.

The last of the great chivalrous orders is celebrating the 900^th anniversary of its official recognition by Pope Paschal II. On Saturday, the Knights attended Mass in St. Peter's Basilica and received an audience with Pope Benedict XVI.

The Knights of Malta is also known as the Sovereign Military Order of St.

Privatization Of Greek Assets Runs Behind Schedule

Sylvia Poggioli — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 08:39:00 +0000

In exchange for multibillion-euro bailouts, Greece was required to sell state-owned assets. But the sweeping privatization process is behind schedule.