Osservare and report

150 years of "a guiding beacon"

L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican's "semi-official" newspaper, celebrates its 150th anniversary this month.

First published July 1, 1861, and originally written in Italian, the newspaper is now published in nine different languages, including an English edition since 1968.

To honour the anniversary, Pope Benedict XVI visited L'Osservatore's office July 5 and called the paper "a guiding beacon" and "one of the privileged instruments at the service of the Holy See and the church," in a written message.

See The B.C. Catholic for a story on the Pope recognizing L'Osservatore's contribution to the Church.