International

Pope Francis’ final hours and gratitude for returning to the Square

“Thank you for bringing me back to the Square.” This expre-ssion of gratitude was among Pope Francis’s last words to the person who watched over him tirelessly throughout his illness, as well as before. He spoke those words to Massimiliano Strappetti, the nurse who, according to the Pope himself, once saved his life by suggesting […]

Election of first Arab rector a ‘message of hope’ for Israel

Mouna Maroun was appointed Rector of the University of Haifa, becoming the first member of Israel’s Arab minority – an underprivileged group that, according to rights organisations, continues to face structural discrimination – ever to hold the role at an Israeli university. Maroun is also a Christian, hailing from a small Maronite Catholic village on […]

A Guardian of Vatican Heritage: Elvira Cajano Appointed to Lead Vatican Monuments Commission

Professor Elvira Cajano has been appointed President of the Permanent Commission for the Protection of Historical and Arti-stic Monuments of the Holy See. The announcement was made on April 10 by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, marking a new chapter for the century-old institution charged with safe-guarding some of the most trea-sured sites and […]

Patriarch of Constantinople wins 1.1 million pound Templeton Prize

The 2025 Templeton Prize has been awarded to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, the spiritual leader of Eastern Orthodoxy and a visionary voice in the global movement for ecological justice. The £1.1 million prize honours a lifetime of prophetic leadership that has redefined the moral dimensions of environmental stewardship and challenged both faith communities and […]

Cardinal Pizzaballa on Palm Sunday: ‘Love is stronger than fear’

As pilgrims and faithful gathered at the gates of the Holy City to commemorate the trium-phal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, delivered a Palm Sunday message calling for hope, unity, and perseverance in the face of ad-versity. Offering greetings to those present and to all united in prayer […]

Bloody Palm Sunday. Archbishop Kulbokas: ‘May God have mercy on us’

Palm Sunday, 13 April, marked yet another horrific chapter in the ongoing war in Ukraine. On what should have been a sacred and peaceful day of worship, tragedy struck the city of Sumy in northeastern Ukraine, turning Palm Sunday into a day of mourning and devastation. Just 50 kilometres from the Russian border, Sumy became […]

Armenian Patriarchate takes legal action to halt Jerusalem’s tax foreclosure

Tensions have continued to escalate between the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Jerusalem municipality with the latest skirmish over a demand for significant property tax payments called the “Arnona tax” – a levy imposed on property owners in the municipality. The dispute began two years ago and reignited in February, when a hearing session […]

Congolese bishops express ‘spiritual closeness’ with victims of deadly floods in Kinshasa

Catholic bishops in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have expressed their “spiritual closeness and solidarity” with victims of the recent floods and landslides that struck the capital city of Kinshasa and surrounding areas, leaving scores dead and causing widespread destruction. At least 33 people were reported dead and thousands displaced following the April 5-6 […]

Indian bishops slam terror attack on tourists in India’s Kashmir

No action taken against police who assaulted Catholic priests in India