The received wisdom is that the Tsarnaev brothers began their attack on the Boston Marathon to advance the cause of their fellow Chechens, writes Pete Lentini.

Gay marriage has been legalised by Parliament - but it is still banned by most of New Zealand's 10 main religions, a new Herald survey shows.

Gay marriage law author Louisa Wall won't be able to marry her same-sex partner in her own Ratana Church.

A month after his election as leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics, Pope Francis I is riding a wave of popularity that would leave many politicians drooling.

A church in central Auckland is auctioning one of its controversial 'Jesus coming out' billboards on Trade Me.

Hindus in India celebrated the festival of Holi by painting each other in bright colors, distributing sweets and squirting water at fellow festival-goers. The holiday begins each year with a bonfire, followed the next day by paint throwing to celebrate the arrival of spring and the victory of good over evil.

While opposition to same-sex marriage appears to be growing in NZ, several surveys in the United States show public opinion is surprisingly heading in the other direction.

Public opposition to same-sex marriage has grown significantly since a law change to legalise it came before Parliament, a HeraldDigiPoll survey shows.

At yesterday's Palm Sunday service Pa Petera Tipene was causing a few of his female parishioners to run for the back ranks.

The day after his election, Francis eschewed the Vatican's armored limousine and traveled through the chaotic streets of Rome in an ordinary car to pick up his things at a downtown hotel.

As he walked on to the stage of the Vatican's vast Paul VI audience hall, Pope Francis was still wearing the white cassock, plain crucifix and black shoes that have characterised his fledgling papacy's pared-down aesthetic.

Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina, was our new Pope. He took the name of Francis. In 2000 years there has never been a Pope Francis.

White smoke has billowed from a Sistine Chapel chimney to show that a new pope has been elected to replace the frail Benedict XVI as leader of the world's 1.2 billon Catholics.

Opponents of same-sex marriage are being slammed for distributing leaflets saying legalising the move will result in more incidences of AIDS and syphilis, and see the end of titles such as "husband and wife".

Christian communities across Pakistan have launched angry protests after a Muslim mob set fire to a Christian neighbourhood in Lahore.

Christian community leaders in Lahore say the violence unleashed on the Pakistani city's Joseph colony erupted after a drinking session involving two friends, one Muslim and the other Christian.

Church leaders are making a last-minute appeal to MPs to protect teachers who believe marriage should only be between opposite sexes even if Louisa Wall's gay marriage bill is passed tomorrow.

It is known throughout the Vatican as the Relatio (Narration). It is contained in two stiff, unmarked red folders and runs to around 300 pages.

Last week, the Herald featured a delightful cartoon by Guy Body, showing rows of small cloned cardinal lookalikes.