Pope Benedict XVI made reaching out to other faiths and promoting Christian unity hallmarks of his tenure. Pope Francis will continue this work, not only because he has a history of facilitating religious dialogue, but also because global Catholicism requires it.

Pope Francis gave this speech on foreign policy and religion to ambassadors to the Vatican on March 22, 2013.

Pope Francis (recently Argentine Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio) gave his first blessing as pope at St. Peter's Basilica, on March 13, 2013.

The election of pope to lead the world's one billion Catholics stirs debate over the spiritual authority of the pontiff and the church's role in the world.

Pope Benedict XVI's gave these remarks at his final General Audience on February 27, 2013, at St. Peter's Square.

Julia E. Sweig addresses the transition of Catholic demographics and the cultural power of the papacy.

The surprise resignation of Pope Benedict XVI has given rise to speculations that the next pontiff to lead the Catholic Church will hail from the developing world, says expert James P. McCartin.

The pope's visit to the Holy Land adds another public relations disaster to an already numerable string that already exists. Why is this?

Relations between the Vatican and Israel are a complex combination of diplomacy mixed with interfaith discussion.

This op-ed is about Jewish-Christian dialogue, especially the dialogue with the Catholic Church.

Michael Gerson disagrees with the lifting of a Holocaust-denying bishop's excommunication by the Catholic Church. The Vatican's mistake, he explains, will face high stakes and scandal.

Pope Benedict’s first U.S. visit has focused on revitalizing the U.S. Catholic Church. He is also addressing religious freedom.

U.S.-Vatican relations remain uneven following Joseph Ratzinger's accession as Pope Benedict XVI, particularly as the Obama administration pursues a more liberal social agenda.

Timothy Samuel Shah, a scholar on religious issues, says that when Pope Benedict XVI makes his first visit to the United States as pope, it will give Americans their first chance to hear firsthand his views on Iraq, the environment, and immigration.

The Vatican’s sale of centuries-old documents detailing the demise of the Knights Templar comes alongside broader public policy initiatives of the Holy See.

Sebastian Mallaby, director of CFR’s Center for Geoeconomic Studies, says the skewed governing securities ratings agencies is partly to blame for stock market turmoil.