Thursday April 6, 2006, Vatican City, Vatican City State

Pope Benedict XVI celebrates youth mass

Pope Benedict XVI celebrates a special youth mass in Saint Peter's Square. During the mass, young people had the opportunity to pose questions to the pontiff.

Pope Benedict XVI, as seen from behind.

Credit: Dario Pignatelli / Polaris

Sunday April 9, 2006, Vatican City, Vatican City State

Pope Benedict XVI celebrates Palm Sunday Mass

Pope Benedict celebrates Palms sunday mass opening the Holy week to easter.

A crowd of worshippers filled Saint Peter's square holding palm and olives branches. Pope Benedict XVI.

Credit: Dario Pignatelli / Polaris

Thursday April 6, 2006, Vatican City, Vatican City State

Pope Benedict XVI celebrates youth mass

Pope Benedict XVI celebrates a special youth mass in Saint Peter's Square. During the mass, young people had the opportunity to pose questions to the pontiff.

Dancers perform before a crucifix during mass.

Credit: Dario Pignatelli / Polaris

Saturday March 25, 2006, Vatican City, Vatican City State

Pope Benedict XVI appoints new cardinals

Pope Benedict XVI leads a mass in Saint Peter square during the second day of the ceremony of Consistory and the elections of fifteen new Cardinals. During the ceremony the Pope has given new Cardinals their Cardinal ring.

Credit: Dario Pignatelli / Polaris

Sunday April 16, 2006, Rome, Vatican City State

Pope Benedict XVI celebrates Easter mass

Easter mass celebration in a Saint Peter's square completely filled of faithfuls. Pope Benedict XVI celebrated the mass and made his speach, calling for peace in the world, from the central balcony of Saint Peter's Basilica. Saint Peter's square fullfilled of faithfuls.

Credit: Dario Pignatelli / Polaris

Saturday March 18, 2006, Vicenza, Italy

Berlusconi criticized at business leaders meeting

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi reacts as some business men criticize him during a meeting of Confindustria, Italy's Industrials association.

Credit: Dario Pignatelli / Polaris

Sunday April 9, 2006, Vatican City, Vatican City State

Pope Benedict XVI celebrates Palm Sunday Mass

Pope Benedict celebrates Palms sunday mass opening the Holy week to easter. A crowd of worshippers filled Saint Peter's square holding palm and olives branches.

A nun looks on during the mass.

Credit: Dario Pignatelli / Polaris

Sunday February 5, 2006, Vatican City, Vatican City State

Pope Benedict XVI Angelus prayer and speach on respect of life

Pope Benedict XVI delivers his blessing and address to the faithful in St Peter's square from the window of his studio during the Angelus prayer. The pontiff issued a strong defense of the need to protect all human life Sunday, urging the faithful to develop a new respect for life even when it is "sick or damaged."

Credit: Dario Pignatelli / Polaris

Monday April 10, 2006, Rome, Italy

Romano Prodi celebrates victory Italian elections

Center-left candidate to premiership at Italian general elections Romano Prodi celebrates the victory with his supporters.

Credit: Dario Pignatelli / Polaris

Monday April 10, 2006, Rome, Italy

Prodi claims victory as Berlusconi allies demand election review in Italy

Supporters of Italy's Center-Left coalition candidate for Prime Minister, Romano Prodi, watch election results in Rome. Although Prodi has claimed victory in Italy's national elections, the slim margin has caused allies of incumbent Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to call for a review of the vote count.

Prodi supporters watch election results on large screens.

Credit: Dario Pignatelli / Polaris

Monday April 10, 2006, Rome, Italy

Romano Prodi celebrates victory Italian elections

Center-left candidate to premiership at Italian general elections Romano Prodi celebrates the victory with his supporters.

Credit: Dario Pignatelli / Polaris

Friday April 7, 2006, Rome, Italy

Romano Prodi closes electoral campaign

Center-left coalition leader and candidate to Italy Prime Minister Romano Prodi participate to a rally in a central square for the end of the elctoral campaign. Romano Prodi is challenging actual Prime Minister and center-right candidate Silvio Berlusconi for political elections wich be held this weekend. An artist adjust his make up before the rally.

Credit: Dario Pignatelli / Polaris

Friday April 7, 2006, Rome, Italy

Romano Prodi closes electoral campaign

Center-left coalition leader and candidate to Italy Prime Minister Romano Prodi participate to a rally in a central square for the end of the elctoral campaign. Romano Prodi is challenging actual Prime Minister and center-right candidate Silvio Berlusconi for political elections wich be held this weekend. Romano Prodi (L) , Luciana Sbarbati (C) and Francesco Rutelli (R).

Credit: Dario Pignatelli / Polaris

Sunday April 2, 2006, Vatican City, Vatican City State, Italy

Tens of thousands honor John Paul II in St. Peter's Square

Tens of thousands of pilgrims and faithfuls from around the world gathered in St. Peter's Square to pay their respects to Pope John Paul II, who died a year ago after a series of illnesses. Pope Benedict XVI, John Paul's longtime aide, said his predecessor had left an "immense" legacy to the church and to the world. Many of the mourners present in the Vatican square called for the beatification of John Paul II.

Thousands fill St. Peter's Square paying tribute to the memory of John Paul II.

Credit: Dario Pignatelli / Polaris

Friday March 24, 2006, Vatican City, Vatican City State

Pope Benedict XVI elects 15 new Cardinals during first Consistory

Pope Benedict XVI presides over the first Consistory under his papacy. Fifteen new Cardinals were elected by the pontiff during the traditional ceremony which involves all 193 of the church's Cardinals, including the 15 men being elevated to "Princes of the Church.

New Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-Kiun (bottom-C) is greeted by other Cardinals.

Credit: Dario Pignatelli / Polaris

Friday March 24, 2006, Vatican City, Vatican City State

Pope Benedict XVI elects 15 new Cardinals during first Consistory

Pope Benedict XVI presides over the first Consistory under his papacy. Fifteen new Cardinals were elected by the pontiff during the traditional ceremony which involves all 193 of the church's Cardinals, including the 15 men being elevated to "Princes of the Church.

Cardinals seated in chairs below a statue.

Credit: Dario Pignatelli / Polaris

Wednesday March 22, 2006, Vatican City, Vatican City State

Pope Benedict XVI holds weekly general audience

Pope Benedict XVI greets crowds in St. Peter's Square during his weekly general audience.

Pope Benedict XVI, waving.

Credit: Dario Pignatelli / Polaris

Saturday April 8, 2006, Rome, Italy

Italy prepares for general elections

Italians enjoyed a day of rest before the general elections that will be held on the 9th and 10th of April. The two main candidates for Prime Minister, the encumbent, Silvio Berlusconi and his opposition challenger, Romano Prodi, have spent recent months battling in a colorful political campaign.

A polling station is prepared for voters who will be participating in the Italian general elections in downtown Rome at Visconti High School.

Credit: Dario Pignatelli / Polaris

Wednesday August 3, 2005, Dakar, Senegal

Dakar's bidonville soccer tournament

Enda Ecopole, a senegalese NGO, organises every year a soccer tournament between youngs coming from the poorest neighbourhood of the city, at the end of the school season, to keep young boys out of the streets A boy look on as he keeps the ball before the final match at Malika soccer field

Credit: Dario Pignatelli / Polaris

Saturday April 15, 2006, Rome, Italy

Legionnaires of Christ celebrate Easter vigil

Theology students and priests of the congregation of the Legionnaries of Christ participate in a candel light oricession and a mass to celebrate the vigil of Easter, at their Apostolorum seminary where young priests study theology and history, respecting almost military behavior rules and learning the doctrine of their founder, Monsignor Marcial Maciel, a mexican priest, who founded the Legionnaires of Christ congregation on January 3, 1941, with the aim of extending Christ's kingdom in society.

Credit: Dario Pignatelli / Polaris

Saturday April 15, 2006, Rome, Italy

Legionnaires of Christ celebrate Easter vigil

Theology students and priests of the congregation of the Legionnaries of Christ participate in a candel light oricession and a mass to celebrate the vigil of Easter, at their Apostolorum seminary where young priests study theology and history, respecting almost military behavior rules and learning the doctrine of their founder, Monsignor Marcial Maciel, a mexican priest, who founded the Legionnaires of Christ congregation on January 3, 1941, with the aim of extending Christ's kingdom in society.

Credit: Dario Pignatelli / Polaris

Sunday January 22, 2006, Rome, Vatican City State

Pope Benedict XVI blesses the Vatican Swiss Guards

An honor corp of Swiss Guards, in their full blue-and-yellow-bloomered dress uniforms and red-plumed helmets, stand at attention in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican as Pope Benedict XVI addresses them at the end of the Angelus prayer he celebrated from his studio window. The pontiff thanked the Swiss Guards for their 500 years of service protecting popes as the Vatican opened its official commemorations and recalled how Pope Julius II had summoned the mercenaries to protect him and the Vatican in 1506

Credit: Dario Pignatelli / Polaris

Thursday April 13, 2006, Rome, Italy

Pope Benedict XVI celebrates Holy Thursday Mass

Pope Benedict XVI celebrates Holy Thursday Mass at Saint John Lateran's Basilica, to begin Easter celebrations. During the mass, the pontiff washed the feet of 12 worshippers, as Christ did with the apostles during the Last Supper.

Pope Benedict XVI holds his pastoral staff while greeting supporters.

Credit: Dario Pignatelli / Polaris

Saturday April 15, 2006, Rome, Italy

Legionnaires of Christ in their Roman seminary

The Apostolorum seminary of the Legionnaires of Christ is a recently built university and seminary where young priests study theology and history, respecting almost military behaviour rules and learning the doctrine of their founder, Monsignor Marcial Maciel, a mexican priest , who founded the Legionnaires of Christ congregation on January 3, 1941, with the aim of extending Christ's kingdom in society.

Credit: Dario Pignatelli / Polaris

Thursday February 2, 2006, Vatican City, Vatican City State

Pope Benedict XVI holds Candelora mass

Pope Benedict XVI leads the annual "Candelora" mass in Saint Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican.

Pope Benedict XVI holds his pastoral staff while waving.

Credit: Dario Pignatelli / Polaris

Saturday April 15, 2006, Rome, Italy

Legionnaires of Christ celebrate Easter vigil

Theology students and priests of the congregation of the Legionnaries of Christ participate in a candel light oricession and a mass to celebrate the vigil of Easter, at their Apostolorum seminary where young priests study theology and history, respecting almost military behavior rules and learning the doctrine of their founder, Monsignor Marcial Maciel, a mexican priest, who founded the Legionnaires of Christ congregation on January 3, 1941, with the aim of extending Christ's kingdom in society.

Credit: Dario Pignatelli / Polaris

Thursday April 13, 2006, Vatican City, Vatican City State

Pope Benedict XVI leads Chrismal Mass

Pope Benedict XVI leads the Chrismal Mass in St. Peter's Basilica.

Clergy members walk through St. Peter's Basilica.

Credit: Dario Pignatelli / Polaris

Wednesday August 3, 2005, Dakar, Senegal

Dakar's bidonville soccer tournament

Enda Ecopole, a senegalese NGO, organises every year a soccer tournament between youngs coming from the poorest neighbourhood of the city, at the end of the school season, to keep young boys out of the streets Colombane bidonville players train before the match at Malika soccer field

Credit: Dario Pignatelli / Polaris

Sunday April 16, 2006, Rome, Vatican City State

Pope Benedict XVI celebrates Easter mass

Easter mass celebration in a Saint Peter's square completely filled of faithfuls. Pope Benedict XVI celebrated the mass and made his speach, calling for peace in the world, from the central balcony of Saint Peter's Basilica. Saint Peter's square fullfilled of faithfuls.

Credit: Dario Pignatelli / Polaris

Dario Pignatelli