Pope confirms second Chinese bishop in a week under Vatican-Beijing agreement
The ordination of Bishop Francis Xavier Duan Yongkun as coadjutor bishop of Bameng is the latest episcopal appointment carried out under the provisional agreement between the Holy See and China. Father Francis Xavier Duan Yongkun was ordained Wednesday as coadjutor bishop of Bameng in China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region after being appointed by Pope Leo […]
Ukrainian ambassador says papal visit would give major boost to peace
Andrii Yurash said a visit by Pope Leo XIV would bring a message of peace and justice, while recent Vatican missions show that Ukraine is not alone. A potential visit by Pope Leo XIV to Ukraine could make a significant contribution to international efforts to end the war and achieve a lasting peace, Ukraine’s ambassador […]
Pope Leo XIV: I still have a great love for America
The U.S.-born pontiff expressed affection for his homeland in an interview with NBC News on July 29. Leo XIV, the first pope born in the United States, has emphasized his continued love for his native country, even as head of the global Catholic Church. The pontiff made these remarks in an interview with Tom Llamas […]
Caravaggio’s Light and Shadow Continue to Draw Visitors Toward Faith in Rome
ROME — More than four centuries after his death, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio continues to captivate millions with paintings that confront viewers with some of Christianity’s deepest questions: faith and doubt, grace and sin, light and darkness. An exhibition in Rome, “Caravaggio e i Maestri della Luce” (“Caravaggio and the Masters of Light”), explores how […]
Inside Italy’s Mosaic School: Where the Ancient Art of Sacred Mosaics Lives On
SPILIMBERGO, Italy — In the small town of Spilimbergo in Italy’s northeastern Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, an ancient artistic tradition continues to flourish. For more than a century, the Mosaic School of Friuli has trained artisans in one of Christianity’s oldest forms of sacred art, preserving techniques that have adorned churches, basilicas, and some of the […]
Vatican urges UN to combat homelessness
The Vatican has urged the United Nations (U.N.) to include the homeless in efforts to create sustainable cities, stating that the “persistence of homelessness should trouble the conscience of the international community.” The Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the U.N. made these remarks in a message for the 2026 High Level Meeting […]
‘Canticle of Peace’: Leo XIV presents the beauty of music as a path to God
The Holy Father made his remarks at an event organized by the Laudato Si’ Center for Higher Education and the Andrea Bocelli Foundation. Pope Leo XIV stated Wednesday that “the beauty of music invites us to encounter the One who is beauty itself,” during the “Canticle of Peace” prayer and fraternal gathering held at Castel […]
Catholic anti-trafficking network led by nuns assists 1.2 million worldwide
The International Network Against Human Trafficking published its 2025 annual report on July 29. A Catholic anti-trafficking network, led by nuns, assisted 1.2 million people worldwide in 2025 through its outreach against human exploitation. The annual report for Talitha Kum, the international network of consecrated life against human trafficking, founded by the International Union of […]
Vatican to launch first conference of Christians and Confucians
The Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue will hold a conference on Confucian-Christian relations in South Korea from Aug. 4–5. The Vatican will launch its first conference of Christians and Confucians to expand the Catholic Church’s outreach to the Asian ethical tradition. The Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue will hold the colloquium “Dialogue on the Contribution of Christianity […]
Explaining the Vatican’s engagement with contemporary art
Amid the latest Venice Biennale, one of the world’s premier art exhibitions, a senior Vatican official explained why the Catholic Church is taking part. The Vatican is participating in the international art exhibition “La Biennale di Venezia” in Italy for the fourth consecutive year. A senior Vatican official explained the Vatican’s support for the exhibition […]