Pope Francis visits the Nativity scene in St. Peter’s Square after leading an evening prayer service in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican Dec. 31. Pope Francis said Rome, like all communities, will be more beautiful, hospitable, welcoming and kind in the new year “if all of us are attentive and generous toward whoever is […]
by Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Welcoming in a new year, Pope Francis said it was time to stop provoking and ignoring violence, tragedy and conflict in the world and begin building peace at home. “Justice and peace at home, among us – you begin at home and then you move on to all […]
by Dale Gavlak AMMAN, Jordan (CNS) – Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal of Jerusalem welcomed the announcement of Pope Francis’ May visit to the Holy Land and said he hopes the pilgrimage will be a “cry for peace,” particularly for Palestinians, Israelis, Syrians and others beset by conflict. Pope Francis announced his first trip as pontiff […]
CAIRO (CNS) – In an unprecedented and highly symbolic move, Egypt’s interim President Adly Mansour paid a Christmas visit to the leader of the country’s Coptic Orthodox, Egyptian Pope Tawadros II. Previous presidents have extended Christmas greetings through presidential envoys or by phone. Mansour’s visit to Pope Tawadros’ papal seat in St. Mark’s Coptic Orthodox […]
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – This new year will be brighter only if everyone steps outside their safe havens, gets involved and works together to solve local problems, Pope Francis said. May Mary “teach us to welcome God made man so that every year, every month, every day be overflowing with his eternal love,” he said […]
by Francis X. Rocca’ In the first nine and a half months of Pope Francis’ pontificate, more than 6.6 million people participated in papal events at the Vatican, including weekly general audiences, group audiences, liturgies and recitations of the Angelus and “Regina Coeli” on Sundays and holy days. The statistics, compiled by the Prefecture of […]
RIO DE JANEIRO (CNS) – Pope Francis has pledged a donation of almost $5 million to help pay part of the debt incurred by the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro for World Youth Day, said the Local Organizing Committee. A statement from the committee said the pope recognized “the great effort made by the Local […]
by Francis X. Rocca VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Francis said he has ordered a revision of what he called outdated Vatican norms on the relations between religious orders and local bishops, in order to promote greater appreciation of the orders’ distinctive missions. The pope’s words were published Jan. 3 in the Italian Jesuit magazine […]
A girl in St. Peter’s Square holds Baby Jesus figurines for Pope Francis to bless during his Angelus at the Vatican, Dec. 15. Children observed an annual tradition by bringing their Nativity figurines for the pope to bless.
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – If Germans are known for being punctual, it turns out even their trees show up early. This year’s Christmas tree from Bavaria’s Bohemian Forest was scheduled to arrive on the feast of St. Nicholas, Dec. 6. Instead, cameramen and photographers had to scramble Dec. 5, when images starting showing up on […]
