Stretching back to the Apostle Peter, the papacy has been a near constant superpower that has outlived empires, survived world wars and shaped western history perhaps more than any other office. An incredible list of men have held the highest position of the Catholic church.

Nostalgic for his student days, Pope Benedict XVI has elected to pass out of history much as he stepped into it: blinking blindly at all the bright lights, never quite certain of how he got there, nor what he was supposed to do with the power he possessed.

-- The Vatican announced Monday that Pope Benedict XVI is stepping down on Feb. 28. While such papal resignations are extremely rare, there are prece...

By Peggy Fletcher Stack Salt Lake Tribune/Religion News Service (RNS) Whether by accident, serendipity or divine design, four future heavyweights ...

In an exclusive excerpt from his new book 'Ten Popes Who Shook the World,' one of the world’s most highly regarded historians of Christianity discus...

Did Peter single-handedly assume control over the early Roman church with the idea that he was Christ's successor and that the Church would be the global epicenter of Christianity until the end of time? The answer will determine all else.

In talking with audiences about my new book, "God's Jury: The Inquisition and the Making of the Modern World," I've found that the same questions come up over and over. Here are the Top 10.

As U.S. Catholics mark anniversaries of the Civil War or of September 11, they would do well to also remember Vatican II, including what it had to say about peace and renunciation of war.

In this segment from the film "Who Cares About The Saints?", Rev. James Martin of America Magazine discusses the life of St. Peter and how his experiences may speak to our own today.

By Kristen Moulton Salt Lake Tribune SALT LAKE CITY -- Colleen McDannell knew the title of her new book, "The Spirit of Vatican II: A History of Cath...