Some believe the basilica on Vatican Hill was built over the martyred bones of the apostle Peter—but is that true? After excavations and forensic analysis, the Vatican says they reached a conclusion, ...

In new document, the Pope says archaeology not only provides historical data but also allows theology to remain rooted in the concrete reality of the people of God, capable of ‘bringing to light ...

Each year on Aug. 5 the church liturgical calendar commemorates the dedication of St. Mary Major (in Italian, Santa Maria Maggiore), one of the five great ancient basilicas in Rome, and the place Pope ...

Online visitors can navigate the Vatican basilica’s mosaics, the cupola, the underground necropolis and Peter’s tomb. A ticketed, in-person experience is also designed for the jubilee year, plus a ...

Pope Leo XIV closed the door at St. Peter’s Basilica on Jan. 6, 2026, just days into the new year. The act formally brought the Vatican’s Holy Year 2025 – designated as “Pilgrims of Hope” – to an end.

In his new book, Twelve Churches: An Unlikely History of the Buildings that Made Christianity, Fergus Butler-Gallie attempts to do just that but on a global scale. The 12 churches in the book are from ...