Arts & Culture

After thousands of runners completed the first ever “multireligious” half-marathon in Rome, Pope Francis praised the initiative, which was sponsored by the Pontifical Council for Culture.

In following up on his 2015 feature, “Kingsman: The Secret Service,” Vaughn and his returning script collaborator Jane Goldman once again focus on Gary “Eggsy” Unwin (Taron Egerton), the working-class London lad whose transformation into a skilled espionage operative was charted in the original.

The award for the most obvious film title of the year goes to “American Assassin” (CBS Films), an action thriller about — you guessed it — a professional killer from the United States, specifically Rhode Island.

One of the more anticipated TV series of the 2017 season, co-directors Ken Burns and Lynne Novick’s ambitious, yet uneven, documentary “The Vietnam War,” premieres on PBS Sunday, Sept. 17, 8-9:30 p.m. EDT.

The story of Ray’s drive to be successful and Joan’s career in philanthropy are ably told by Lisa Napoli in her book “Ray and Joan: The Man Who Made the McDonald’s Fortune and the Woman Who Gave It All Away.”

A postage stamp honoring Holy Cross Father Theodore M. Hesburgh, president of the University of Notre Dame from 1952 to 1987, was issued during a ceremony at the school Sept. 1.

The resignation of Pope Benedict XVI and subsequent election of Pope Francis will be the subject of a new film set to debut on Netflix.

A self-identified romantic comedy built around a priest’s struggle with his vocation is bound to be doubtful fare for viewers of faith.