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Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said: ‘I am deeply sorry for these links. It is now time to take action to address our shameful past.’

The head of Cyprus’ Orthodox Church Archbishop Georgios formally has assumed his new duties following an enthronement ceremony

It has now been more than two decades since the signing of the Good Friday agreement in 1998, formally ending the Troubles in Northern Ireland. But the most recent attempt by the British government to “deal with the past” – the legacy and reconciliation bill – is itself provoking conflict.

(This Jan. 3 story has been refiled to correct grammar in paragraph 11)

Six months ago Pope Francis brushed off speculation he was about to resign due to health problems, but even if he had toyed with the idea, he faced one major obstacle: there was already another ex-pope in retirement.

Lines of people wanting to honor Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI's service to the Catholic church have formed in St. Peter's Square for a second day

The Mass will be followed later in the week by a series of six additional memorial masses held by auxiliary bishops at other churches of the Archdiocese of Chicago.

WARNING: DISTRESSING IMAGES Pope Benedict XVI passed away in the early hours of Saturday morning in the Vatican quarters he lived in after his ailing health forced him to step down as the head of the Catholic Church in 2013

Pope Francis marked the Roman Catholic Church's traditional World Day of Peace on Sunday but the start of the new year at the Vatican was overshadowed by the death of his predecessor, Benedict.