World

His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, accompanied by the Latin Patriarcal Vicar, Mgr William Shomali and a small delegation, arrived in Gaza today for a pastoral visit to the Holy Family Parish, on the eve of the Christmas celebrations. During his visit, His Beatitude will review the current situation of the parish, including the humanitarian response, ongoi... Read More

All over the world Christians gather for Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve but in Burkino Faso they cannot take the risk. For the 10th year running, Christmas Masses in the sub-Saharan country will take place before nightfall. Bishop Théophile Naré of Kaya, north-central Burkina Faso, told Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) "The celebrations will begin early to avoid having to move around at night." C... Read More

Sami El-Yousef, Chief Executive Officer, Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, writes: There was great hope when the ceasefire was declared in Gaza about two months ago that the war ended and we are on a path to a peaceful resolution. As the details of the peace plan unfolded and as 58% of Gaza remained controlled by the Israeli army with new borders established, and as violent settler attacks continue... Read More

In his Message for the 2026 World Day of Peace, Pope Leo XIV addresses the escalation of war, rearmament and fear in international relations, and reiterates the Church's opposition to deterrence based on military force. He calls for disarmament, dialogue and the conversion of hearts as necessary conditions for a lasting and unarmed peace. As the Church observes the World Day of Peace on 1 January,... Read More

Cardinal Baltazar Enrique Porras Cardozo, the former Archbishop of Caracas and one of the most prominent figures in the Venezuelan Catholic Church, was prevented from leaving Venezuela for Bogotá, Colombia, on 10 December. From Bogotá, Cardinal Porras Cardozo was due to fly to Madrid, Spain, and onto Toledo to participate in a ceremony in which he would be appointed the role of Spiritual Prote... Read More

Today, Wednesday, 17 December, Pope Leo XIV received a telephone call from Isaac Herzog, President of the State of Israel, as Christians prepare to celebrate Christmas and Jews mark the festival of Hanukkah. According to the Holy See Press Office, the conversation came in light of the recent terrorist attack on the Jewish community in Sydney, Australia. Pope Leo reiterated the "Catholic Church's ... Read More

A catechist in Mozambique has described ministering to people who have lost loved ones kidnapped and beheaded by jihadist groups. Adérito Benjamin Monteiro, 29, recounted horror stories shared by communities in northern Mozambique where he and other Christian teachers work in situations of great poverty and danger, tending to people who have witnessed extreme violence. Around 300 families, many o... Read More

On Saturday, 13 December, two Masses were celebrated respectively in the Cathedral of Jaen in Spain and at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris for the beatification of Venerable Servants of God, men and women who gave their lives to remain faithful to Christ in times of persecution. In Jaen, 124 martyrs of the Spanish Civil War were beatified in a celebration presided over by Cardinal Marcello Semeraro,... Read More

Ahead of the vote scheduled for tomorrow in the European Parliament on the European Citizens' Initiative 'My Voice, My Choice', the Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) today, Tuesday 16 December 2025, published a statement expressing serious concerns regarding the overall objective of this initiative. COMECE: "In the debate on abortion, what is needed is not furt... Read More

Rev Don Binder, writes from St George's Anglican Cathedral in Jerusalem. Over the past two weeks, we've seen many images and videos posted of joyous Christmas tree lighting ceremonies in numerous towns throughout Palestine's West Bank, including Bethlehem, Bet Sahur (Shepherd's fields), and Ramallah. However, when it came time last night for the Christmas tree lighting in the city with Israel's ... Read More

Jimmy Lai was today convicted of sedition and conspiracy to collude with foreign forces in Hong Kong under the controversial National Security Law. Mr Lai, a 78-year-old prisoner of conscience, now faces a potential sentence of life in prison. Mr Lai was convicted under the National Security Law for his work as editor and publisher of the popular, pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily and his advoca... Read More

Many messages have been arriving in the wake of yesterday's horrific attack on the Bondi Beach Hanukkah celebration in Sydney Australia, in which 15 people were killed, included two Rabbis, a ten year old child, an 87 year old Holocaust survivor who died trying to protect his wife and an 82 year old Holocaust survivor. Several more people were injured, some critically. Pope Leo XIV After hearing t... Read More

At least 12 people were killed today and 29 wounded in a terror attack at a Hanukkah event in Sydney's Bondi Beach. The Archbishop of Sydney, Archbishop Anthony Fisher, said: "As we follow the horrific news coming from this evening's shooting at Bondi Beach, let us pray for those who have been killed or injured, the many who were forced to run for their lives and our emergency service workers who ... Read More

The Polish Bishops' Conference visited Pope Leo XIV last week. During their Audience with the Holy Father they presented him with a letter inviting him to Poland. The President of the Archbishop Wojda, Archbishop Tadeusz Wojda SAC, said: "the Pope received us with great kindness" and "took a keen interest in various matters... He said that he had visited Poland many times, that Poland is very cl... Read More