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.

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.

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.

If we've learned anything from recent history, it's that people whose own sex lives are unedifying don't necessarily let that stop them damning others' proclivities.

Island drums and sounds from the Pacific will be joined by those from traditional island choirs and church bands at this year's Pasifika Festival.

Sam Clements' article on these pages entitled "Irrelevant churches have no right to dictate what happens in a secular society" belittles the role of religion.

Comic Joan Rivers has come under fire for comments she made about Jews during a segment on her controversial US style show Fashion Police.

There is a lot of hype surrounding the push for gay marriage in NZ, writes Douglas Pratt. Expectations of a momentous change are high.

Religion has always sought to manipulate and dictate the manner in which individuals live their lives, writes Sam Clements. The Marriage Equality Bill threatens many in the church.

No Western government is going to condemn the country's rulers, writes Gwynne Dyer. That would seriously annoy Saudi Arabia, and they will never do that.

We don't need a census to tell us that society is changing rapidly. But perhaps we do to quantify just how rapidly.

The Salvation Army has bought the Destiny Church complex in the Auckland suburb of Mt Wellington and has its 12-storey building in Queen St up for sale.

Jenna Miscavige Hill was a third-generation Church of Scientologist. She escaped the secretive society and told her story to Nicky Park.

Whoever takes the helm of the Vatican after the shock resignation of Benedict XVI will inherit a problem on his own doorstep.

Ex-Scientologist Jenna Miscavige Hill has revealed the harsh reality of growing up in the Church. Read her story here.

When Joseph Ratzinger was elected Pope in 2005, the choice divided Catholics.

The news of the Pope's decision to resign was received by Auckland Catholics with sadness.

A New Zealand bishop who penned speeches and talks for two Popes says Benedict XVI's decision to step down would have been pondered deeply before it was made.

Editorial: The papacy is one of precious few institutions in the modern world that does not change very much.

Pope Benedict’s resignation has been greeted with surprise, admiration and disappointment from around the world.