Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday expressed "sorrow" for
Native Canadian children who in Catholic-run schools were forced to
suppress their language, customs and religion and, in some cases, were
also sexually and physically abused.

"The Holy Father expressed his sorrow at the anguish caused by the
deplorable conduct of some members of the Church," when he met a
delegation of Native Canadian representatives at the Vatican, a Holy
See statement said.

Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI and Britain's Prince Charles spent 15 minutes talking about the environment and other affairs during a meeting on Monday, the Vatican said.

The heir to the British throne was accompanied by his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, when he was received by the German-born pontiff at the Vatican.

Charles last visited the Vatican in 2005 to attend the funeral of Benedict's predecessor Pope John Paul II - a trip that forced the postponement of his wedding with Camilla.

Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI led the traditional Easter vigil late Saturday, entering a darkened St Peter's Basilica while carrying a tall candle - a gesture symbolizing the Christian belief in the resurrected Jesus' illuminating presence in the world. Taking their cue from the 81-year-old pontiff, thousands of faithful gathered inside lit their own candles, the flames flickering inside the church's immense interior.

Outside, on a mild, spring night in Rome, tens of thousands more followed the ceremony from four giant screens erected on St Peter's Square.

Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI in a Holy Thursday Chrism Mass celebrated the first of a series of traditional rituals leading to Easter - a feast tinged with sorrow in Italy this year for the victims of an devastating earthquake.

During the ceremony in St Peter's Basilica, Benedict blessed holy oils which will be used in Catholic sacraments, including baptisms, confirmations and last rites for the dying.

Some of the oils consecrated this year are destined for parishes in Italy's central Abruzzo region where by Thursday morning the death toll from Monday's earthquake stood at 278.

Vatican City - The faithful will be invited to reflect on the persecution of Christians in India in prayers at this year's traditional Good Friday Way of the Cross ceremony at Rome's Colosseum, the Vatican said Tuesday.

Pope Benedict XVI is set to preside the evening ceremony - also known as Via Crucis - which commemorates Jesus' final hours including his crucifixion.

Vatican City  - Pope Benedict XVI in his Palm Sunday address recalled the deaths of scores of mostly African would-be immigrants in the Mediterranean and also urged all nations to outlaw landmines and cluster bombs.

Speaking to the faithful gathered in St Peter's Square, the pontiff said it was with "great pain" that he remembered the over 230 migrants feared to have drowned when their vessel capsized off Libya a week ago.

"We cannot just accept such tragedies," said Benedict, stressing how the migrants died while "trying to reach Europe".