Another year is ending. For us at Inside the Vatican, it has been a festive year — we celebrated our 15th Anniversary! And we are proud of what we have accomplished - proud, first of all, that we are still…

It was confirmed Wednesday that Pope Benedict XVI will pray at the tomb of Bl Mary MacKillop, when he visits Sydney in July for World Youth Day celebrations.
 
Mary MacKillop was a 19th century nun who was a pioneer of Australia’s Catholic…

Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the United States on April 15 has generated great excitement among Americans from the moment it was first announced. Interest in the trip now matches or in some respects surpasses the astonishingly successful visits of John Paul II.

Two months ago, Mark Ackerman, director of the archdiocese of New York's efforts to coordinate six papal appearances in that city, reported that there had already been 180,000 requests for the 90,000 available seats for the papal Mass at Yankee Stadium. His predicament, he said, was "heartbreaking" because of the sorrowful reactions of people when they are told there are no more seats available. The archdiocese of Washington faces similar overwhelming demands for Mass tickets.

Mikhail Gorbachev, has acknowledged his Christian faith for the first time, paying a visit to pray at the tomb of St Francis of Assisi. The visit, which reportedly took place on Saturday, March 15, was evidently a surprise. It is not clear whether there was any preparation whatsoever, even informally.

The Italian news agency AGI launched the story on March 15 with these words: "A pleasant surprise today for the friars of the Sacro Convento (of Assisi): Mikhail Gorbachev, accompanied by his daughter, paid an unexpected visit to the Basilica of St. Francis."

Accompanied by his daughter Irina, Mr Gorbachev spent half an hour on his knees in silent prayer at the tomb.

His arrival in Assisi was described as "spiritual perestroika" by La Stampa, the Italian newspaper.

"St Francis is, for me, the alter Christus [the Latin for "another Christ"], the other Christ," said Mr Gorbachev. "His story fascinates me and has played a fundamental role in my life," he added.

Mr Gorbachev's surprise visit confirmed decades of rumours that, although he was forced to publicly pronounce himself an atheist, he was in fact a Christian, and casts a meeting with Pope John Paul II in 1989 in a new light.

Mr Gorbachev, 77, was baptised into the Russian Orthodox Church and his parents were Christians.

In addition, the parents of his wife Raisa were deeply religious and were killed during the Second World War for having religious icons in their home.

Ronald Reagan, the former United States president, allegedly told his close aides on a number of occasions that he felt his opponent during the Cold War was a "closet believer."

Mr Reagan held deep religious convictions himself. However, until now Mr Gorbachev has allowed himself to express only pantheistic views, saying in one interview "nature is my god."

After his prayers, Mr Gorbachev toured the Basilica of St Francis and asked in particular to be shown an icon of St Francis portraying his "dream at Spoleto."

St Francis, who lived in the 12th century, was a troubadour and a poet before the spiritual vision caused him to return to Assisi and contemplate a religious life.

Even in his early days, St Francis helped the poor, once giving all of his money to a beggar. As well as spending time in the wilderness, he also nursed lepers and eventually became a priest.

"It was through St Francis that I arrived at the Church, so it was important that I came to visit his tomb," said Mr Gorbachev.

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