The word "Vatican" is derived from the Latin, vates, which means "tellers of the future" or prophets.

The Vatican is the smallest independent state in the world and the residence of the spiritual leadership of the Roman Catholic Church.

Its territory is completely surrounded by the Italian capital, Rome, while priests and nuns of many nationalities make up much of the resident population.

The Vatican is headed by Pope Francis, elected on March 13, 2013.

The domed St Peter's Basilica, completed in the early 17th century, is a pilgrimage site while the Vatican Museums and Art Galleries house the art collections of the popes.

Has it really been 40 years since the first cell phone call was made by Motorola employee Martin Cooper? Communications have come a long way since then. Take a look:

A taste of what's in the CTV News Stox archive.

Since 2008, the lumber industry has been in a slump, but now things are finally looking up. Lumber prices have surged to their highest level in nearly eight years, sparked by a rebound in the US housing market and robust exports to China.

Major steps in producing lumber involve logging (the felling and preparation of timber for shipment to sawmills), sawing the logs into boards, grading the boards according to defects and intended use, drying, and finishing the rough boards into smoother products. Among the leading lumber-producing countries in the world are Russia and the United States, which together produce over 50% of the world's lumber supply.

Take a look inside a mill and see some of the stages of the process.

Snow is tough for commuters. Reduced visibility and slippery roads make the drive to work a nightmare. So imagine how much tougher it is on two wheels instead of four!

A glance. A touch. A taste.

Strong feelings. 

Intense.

Passion

Located 10 minutes from downtown Québec City, the Hôtel de Glace, with its huge snow vaults and crystalline ice sculptures, has enticed over half a million people from around the world since its opening in 2001. We take you back to that opening in January, 2001 with a report from CTV's Jed Kahane.

It was 10 years ago this month that Jack Layton was elected leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada at the party's leadership convention in Toronto. On January 25, 2003, Layton won on the first ballot with 53.5% of the vote, defeating Bill Blaikie, Lorne Nystrom, Joe Comartin and Pierre Ducasse.  His campaign was focused on the need to reinvigorate the party, and was prominently endorsed by former NDP leader Ed Broadbent.

CTV'S Rosemary Thompson reported on Jack Layton's first full day as leader of the NDP. Though not yet a Member of Parliament, he was ready to take on the ruling Liberal Party headed by Prime Minister Jean Chretien. And he gave full credit to his wife, Olivia Chow, for being a winning strategist.

As we bid farewell to 2012, here's a montage of some of the year's top news stories. Can you identify them?

 Happy New Year, from CTV News Stox!

Preparations for a traditional Victorian Christmas at Black Creek Pioneer Village. 

Happy Holidays from CTV News Stox !