Alessandro Speciale
Alessandro Speciale has been covering the Vatican since 2007 and wrote for Religion News Service from 2011-2013. Born in Rome, he studied literature at the Scuola Normale Superiore in Pisa, Italy, and journalism at City University, London. He has appeared as an expert on Vatican affairs on CNN, BBC World and Al Jazeera English.
All Stories by Alessandro Speciale
Pope Francis calls for intensified dialogue with Muslims
By Alessandro Speciale — March 22, 2013
VATICAN CITY (RNS) Pope Francis on Friday called for more intense dialogue between religious leaders, particularly Muslims, as the world becomes more interdependent.
Pope Francis says the ‘nones’ can be allies for the church
By Alessandro Speciale — March 20, 2013
VATICAN CITY (RNS) Pope Francis extended a hand to those who don't belong to any religion, urging them on Wednesday to work with believers to build peace and protect the environment.
At inaugural Mass, Pope Francis calls for defending environment, poor
By Alessandro Speciale — March 19, 2013
VATICAN CITY (RNS) Pope Francis' installation Mass was striking for its repeated references to environmental protection, highlighting what is likely to be a central theme of his papacy and setting up the 76-year-old pope as a leading activist against climate change.
Pope Francis’ official symbols hint at simplicity, humility
By Alessandro Speciale — March 18, 2013
VATICAN CITY (RNS) In a sign of how much change Pope Francis may usher into the papacy, the spiritual leader of Eastern Orthodoxy will attend Tuesday's installation Mass -- for the first time in more than 1,000 years.
New pope means new business for recession-weary Rome
By Alessandro Speciale — March 18, 2013
VATICAN CITY (RNS) Just minutes after Pope Francis finished introducing himself to the crowd in St. Peter's Square on March 13, a woman perusing the shelves of a tourist shop just outside the squared asked the storekeeper, ``When will you have souvenirs of the new pope?''
Vatican defends Pope Francis’ actions during Argentina’s ‘Dirty War’
By Alessandro Speciale — March 15, 2013
VATICAN CITY (RNS) The Vatican swiftly rejected accusations that Pope Francis sided with the brutal Argentinian government in the 1970s when he was a Jesuit leader.
Pope Francis’ first day hints at a change in papal style
By Alessandro Speciale — March 14, 2013
VATICAN CITY (RNS) Not only is he the first Latin American and the first Jesuit to serve as pope, but Pope Francis seems bent on shaking the ritualized world of Vatican traditions and taboos.
Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio elected as Pope Francis
By Alessandro Speciale — March 13, 2013
VATICAN CITY (RNS) Argentinian Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected as Pope Francis on Wednesday after only two days of voting in the conclave tasked with choosing a successor to Pope Benedict XVI.
Black smoke: First day of conclave ends without new pope
By Alessandro Speciale — March 12, 2013
VATICAN CITY (RNS) Black smoke from the chimney atop the Sistine Chapel signaled that the first day of the conclave ended without the election of a new pope.
Vatican makes final preparations for papal conclave
By Alessandro Speciale — March 11, 2013
VATICAN CITY (RNS) Pope Benedict XVI's former personal secretary will return to Rome to assist the opening of the papal election in the Sistine Chapel, highlighting the unprecedented situation created by the resignation of a living pope.
Sistine Chapel plays a key role in electing a new pope
By Alessandro Speciale — March 11, 2013
VATICAN CITY (RNS) The tradition of voting for the new pontiff in the Sistine Chapel dates back to the Renaissance, but the location of the voting didn't become a fixed feature of the conclaves until the 19th century -- and only with John Paul II's rules did the Sistine Chapel become the official theater of papal elections.
Vatican goes high-tech to ensure conclave secrecy
By Alessandro Speciale — March 8, 2013
VATICAN CITY (RNS) The high-tech defenses the Vatican is deploying for next week’s conclave are so impressive that it will be a miracle if even the Holy Spirit can slip in to the Sistine Chapel to do its job.
The pope’s unfinished business: Outreach to traditionalist SSPX
By Alessandro Speciale — March 5, 2013
VATICAN CITY (RNS) Pope Benedict XVI invested much of his pontificate in trying to achieve reconciliation with the ultra-conservative Society of St. Pius X. But after years of negotiations, their relationship with the Vatican remains, as much in Benedict's pontificate, unfinished business.
Cardinals hold first meeting but don’t set date for conclave
By Alessandro Speciale — March 4, 2013
VATICAN CITY (RNS) Roman Catholic cardinals will be called on to decide the start date of the conclave to elect a new pope, but they don't seem to be in a hurry to do so.
Cardinals flock to Rome to begin choosing next pope
By Alessandro Speciale — March 1, 2013
VATICAN CITY (RNS) As former Pope Benedict XVI started his retired life in the papal villa in Castel Gandolfo on Friday (March 1), cardinals in Rome began preparations that will lead up to the closed-door conclave to elect his successor.
