For the first time in seven centuries, Aquileia, a city in northeastern Italy with a fascinating past, has reunited the three scattered fragments of a sixth-century manuscript that for centuries was venerated as if it were the Gospel written by St. Markʼs own hand.

The author of the Gospel that bears his name was St. Peter’s interpreter and secretary. He followed the apostle to Rome, where he witnessed his preaching in the homes of the first followers of Christ, who dared to defy the Roman Empire’s laws governing worship.

St. Mark carefully recorded every courageous word of that early catechesis, and his notes became a firsthand source for the story of Jesus’ life.

Today, Aquileia, a small town of just over 3,000 inhabitants, treasures St. Mark’s memory as the founder of one of the most flourishing Christian communities of the Middle Ages.

The Basilica of Aquileia, home to the largest and best preserved early Christian mosaic in the Western world. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Tseng Kuang Yi

After the Edict of Milan in A.D. 313, the city, situated at the crossroads of East and West and serving as a bridge between the Mediterranean world and Slavic culture, became a center for the spread of Christianity into Central Europe and the Balkans.

By the fifth century, it had even been honored with the title of apostolic city, and its bishop held the rank of patriarch. That privilege was reserved only for dioceses that traced their origins to the preaching of an apostle.

“We preserve extraordinary medieval frescoes in the basilica depicting St. Mark arriving here to found the city’s first Christian community. That is why we believe he truly came to Aquileia,” Aquileia tour guide Anna Sairu told “EWTN Noticias,” the Spanish-language broadcast edition of EWTN News.

The codex that became a relic

One of the principal witnesses to this tradition is the “Codex Forojuliensis,” also known as the “Cividale Gospel Book.” The sixth-century manuscript, written in uncial script, the calligraphy reserved for sacred texts, originally contained all four Gospels in St. Jerome’s Latin translation.

Scholars believe it was most likely produced in Ravenna, Italy. From there it arrived in Aquileia during the second half of the ninth century, where it was authenticated by the signature of Theodemar, patriarch of Aquileia.

The presence of the codex strengthened the tradition linking St. Mark to the evangelization of the region. Its significance became so great that in 827 the Synod of Mantua recognized Aquileia’s ecclesiastical supremacy over Grado.

Venice looked with suspicion on the growing religious prestige of its neighbor. Just a year later, in 828, Venetian merchants brought the relics attributed to the evangelist from Alexandria to the city on the lagoon. In doing so, “The Most Serene Republic” of Venice gained a patron of apostolic rank and strengthened the religious and political foundations of its power.

Basilica of Aquileia, home to the largest and best preserved early Christian mosaic in the Western world. | Credit: Courtesy of Tseng Kuang Yi The fragmented Gospel

Between the 12th and 13th centuries, the seven quires — folded sheets of paper stitched into booklets — containing the Gospel of Mark were separated from the rest of the codex, rebound independently, and covered with an elaborate gilded silver binding that transformed the book into an object of veneration resembling a reliquary.

From that point on, the manuscript ceased to be viewed as merely an ancient copy and began to be regarded as an autograph written by St. Mark himself. Medieval inventories of the Patriarchal Treasury of Aquileia reflect this belief.

“The Gospel was fragmented when it was removed from the Gospel book containing all four Gospels and began to be regarded as an autograph of the evangelist himself. This is connected to the tradition that St. Mark evangelized this region of Italy, Aquileia, and its surrounding territory. During the 12th and 13th centuries, the Gospel of Mark acquired a life of its own and came to be regarded as an extraordinary relic,” Cristiano Tiussi, director of the Aquileia Foundation and curator of the exhibition, told “EWTN Noticias.”

The emperor who wanted a piece of St. Mark

The fame of the supposed authentic Gospel of St. Mark quickly spread across Europe. In 1354, while traveling to Rome to receive the imperial crown, Charles IV of Luxembourg stopped in Aquileia. At the time, his half-brother, Nicholas of Luxembourg, served as patriarch there.

Gilded silver cover that helped transform the medieval Codex of the Gospel of St. Mark into an object of veneration similar to a reliquary. | Credit: Victoria Cardiel/EWTN News

The emperor requested part of the revered manuscript and received two of the seven quires that comprised the Gospel of Mark. Those pages were taken to Prague, where they were deposited in St. Vitus Cathedral alongside the relics of St. Wenceslaus. Over the centuries, they became the oldest written document preserved in Czech libraries.

The exhibition even displays the original documents recording Charles IV’s request to the patriarch of Aquileia.

“Possessing part of the Gospel of St. Mark meant owning not only a religious relic but also a symbol of prestige, legitimacy, and power,” Tiussi noted.

The conquest of Venice

The remainder of the manuscript remained in Aquileia until May 30, 1420, when Doge Tommaso Mocenigo conquered the city. Venice then claimed the remaining fragments, arguing that they belonged beside the evangelist’s tomb in the Basilica of St. Mark.

Their transfer symbolized Aquileia’s definitive incorporation into the Venetian sphere.

The gesture also carried an unmistakable political significance. If Venice had claimed custody of the evangelist’s body since 828, it now also acquired part of the manuscript believed by tradition to have been written by his hand.

As a result, the Gospel of Mark became permanently divided among the cities of Cividale del Friuli, Venice, and Prague.

For the manuscript itself, however, the consequences proved devastating. Humidity from the Venetian lagoon gradually damaged the pages until they became almost illegible. Today, those remnants are preserved in a reliquary display case within the Treasury of St. Mark.

One of the fragments of the sixth-century manuscript venerated as a relic, attributed to the authorship of the Evangelist St. Mark. | Credit: Courtesy of Tseng Kuang Yi A medieval Facebook

The exhibition offers visitors a second surprise. Before it was dismantled, the manuscript served as a “Liber Vitae,” or “Book of the Living.” More than 1,500 names were entered into its pages by people who wished to be remembered in the prayers of the monastic community that safeguarded the codex.

“This is one of the features that makes this Gospel book exceptional. In Italy, we know of only two Carolingian-era ‘libri vitae.’ This is one of them. These inscriptions, written in a hand different from the original uncial script, were initially simple liturgical annotations. They are notes written on the Gospel between the seventh and eighth centuries indicating which passages should be read during particular periods of the year or providing other instructions for the book’s liturgical use,” said Luca Villa, another curator of the exhibition.

Beginning in the second half of the ninth century, the names of benefactors, nobles, pilgrims, and distinguished visitors were added.

Among them were figures as notable as Emperor Louis II the Younger and his wife Engelberga, the Moravian prince Svatopluk, and envoys from the newly Christianized Kingdom of Bulgaria.

“There are more than 1,500 important figures who wrote their names in the Gospel, not merely to leave a record of themselves but because they believed that by doing so they would share in the liturgical celebrations every time the book was used in the church where it was kept,” Villa told “EWTN Noticias.”

For historians, these lists provide an extraordinary window into medieval Europe. They reveal a network of contacts, pilgrimages, and cultural exchanges linking distant regions centuries before the emergence of modern nation-states.

A European story

Now, for the first time in roughly 700 years, the three surviving portions of the Gospel have been reunited.

Fresco of St. Mark in the Basilica of Aquileia. | Credit: Victoria Cardiel/EWTN News

The quires preserved in Prague have left the Czech Republic for the first time. The fragments kept in Venice have temporarily departed St. Mark’s Basilica. Together with the pages preserved in Friuli, they reconstruct a story that had remained fragmented since the Middle Ages.

Czech curator Martina Dlabajová said she believes the reunion also symbolizes the very essence of Europe.

“What is beautiful is that, while acknowledging that each fragment has had a different history and followed a different path, by bringing them together we have chosen to embrace that shared history. That is why the exhibition’s title speaks of ‘Seven Centuries, Three Fragments, One European Story,’ because the three fragments never ceased to be part of a common narrative, and that narrative is a European one,” she explained.

“I also like to emphasize that Europe itself should recognize differences, accept that distinct histories exist, and understand that those different histories from various countries enrich our shared history,” she added in comments to “EWTN Noticias.”

An information booklet for the exhibit “The Gospel of Mark: Seven Centuries. Three Fragments. One European Story,” open to visitors until April 25, 2027. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Tseng Kuang Yi

The exhibition, “The Gospel of Mark: Seven Centuries. Three Fragments. One European Story,” will remain open through April 2027. Due to the fragility of the parchment, however, restrictions are necessary. The original manuscripts will be on display only during the exhibition’s first six weeks. They will then be replaced by high-resolution digital reproductions.

This report was made possible thanks to the support of the Aquileia Foundation.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Pope Leo XIV has encouraged the Poor Clares not to be discouraged by their lack of vocations but to view it as a call to renew their commitment.

The pontiff made these remarks during a private audience with a delegation from the Federation of Capuchin Poor Clare Nuns of Italy on Sept. 21. The Capuchin Poor Clares, a branch of the Poor Clares, was founded in 1535 by the Spanish nun Blessed Maria Lorenza Longo.

Addressing the lack of vocations to their order and throughout Italy, Leo encouraged them not to give in to hopelessness and to renew their commitment to their spiritual values.

“The numerical decline of communities, and the fear of losing their autonomy that may result from it, should neither trouble you nor deprive you of hope,” Leo said. “Rather, it should encourage a renewal of your way of life and an even greater commitment to the spiritual accompaniment of those who knock on the doors of your monasteries.”

Leo also explained to them the true origins of vocations, stating that vocations do not come from campaigns but from “prayer, familiarity with the Gospel, silence, acceptance of oneself with one’s imperfections, and a sense of belonging.”

The pope also encouraged the nuns to prioritize ongoing formation, fostering deep communion with the Church in a society dominated by noise.

“Be formed, and form others, in a cloistered life lived in a spirit of deep communion among yourselves and with the Church; in a silence that, within a society dominated by haste and noise, awakens the need for times and spaces to stop, discern, and reflect,” he said.

Between 700 and 1,000 children will pray a rosary for peace with Pope Leo XIV on Oct. 1 at the Lourdes Grotto in the Vatican Gardens, part of a prayer initiative promoted by Aid to the Church in Need.

Coming from schools and parishes throughout Rome, the children will join the pontiff in the “One Million Children Praying the Rosary” campaign organized by the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN).

They will also be spiritually united with children, families, schools, and Christian communities around the world in an event marking the beginning of the global week during which the prayer initiative is observed.

During that week, any diocese, parish, religious community, school, or family anywhere in the world can participate. The week concludes on Oct. 7, the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.

Inspired by the message of Fátima

The 2026 campaign is inspired by the message received by the children at Fátima: “In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph.”

Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of ACN International and prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, said in particular that “the Immaculate Heart of Mary represents a life completely open to the Holy Spirit and presents Mary as a model of faith, love, and prayer.”

According to ACN, “the initiative takes on special significance at a time when millions of people are facing war, violence, persecution, poverty, and uncertainty.” For this reason, the prayer campaign “seeks to be a simple yet universal sign of trust and hope: children of different languages, cultures, and countries united in the same prayer for peace.”

The origins: Padre Pio and Venezuela 20 years ago

The “One Million Children Praying the Rosary” initiative began in Venezuela in 2005. Today it has become a worldwide prayer movement involving children, families, parishes, schools, and Church groups on every continent, inspired by the words of St. Pio of Pietrelcina, who said that “when 1 million children pray the rosary, the world will change.”

ACN said the invitation is not limited to children and that praying an entire rosary is not required: “Even a single decade prayed with faith can become part of this global chain of prayer.”

The pontifical foundation also provides prayer materials in several languages and asks participants to register so that the network of children joining the prayer in different countries can be displayed on a map.

The initiative is organized in collaboration with the Shrine of Fátima, the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, and the World Apostolate of Fátima. This year, World Rosary Day is also joining the campaign for the first time.

Bolivia, Sudan, Zimbabwe, and Paraguay

The prayers of Pope Leo XIV and the children of Rome will be joined by prayer gatherings planned in locations around the world, “from the Bolivian Amazon to parishes in Sudan, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, and many other places affected by war, poverty, or instability,” ACN said.

In war-torn Sudan, Father Franck Mandozi of the Kosti Pastoral Region confirmed that children from several parishes and schools will take part. From the Tsimané Indigenous community in the Bolivian Amazon, Sister Patricia Alejandra Botello López said they will pray in both their local language and Spanish.

Children from St. Christopher Parish in the Archdiocese of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, will gather on Sunday, Oct. 4, to pray with their pastor, Father Charles Mafurutu, who in the following weeks will travel to other communities.

In Paraguay, Radio Pa’i Puku plans to promote the initiative through its broadcasts and will carry a live transmission of the rosary prayed by children at St. Eugene de Mazenod Parish.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

The Vatican has published the schedule for Pope Leo XIV’s apostolic journey to Latin America, where he will visit Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru from Nov. 6–17.

As the Holy See Press Office announced on Sept. 21, the pontiff will meet with authorities, interfaith leaders, workers, and Catholic communities during his visit.

A motto has been chosen for each of the countries he will visit in November.

According to the announcement, the pope will begin his journey by departing Rome on Nov. 6 at 7:50 a.m. Rome time and arriving at 4:30 p.m. local time the same day at the Carrasco/General Cesáreo L. Berisso International Airport in Uruguay. From there, he will travel to Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay.

Uruguay

Pope Leo XIV is set to be the first pope to visit Uruguay since St. John Paul II in 1988. He will remain there from Nov. 6–8.

At 5:30 p.m. local time on Nov. 6, Leo will attend an official welcome ceremony at the Plaza Independencia, Montevideo’s largest public square. Following the ceremony, he will meet with and address authorities and the diplomatic corps.

At 6:15 p.m., the pope will pay a courtesy visit to the president of Uruguay, Yamandú Orsi, at his residence at the Edificio José Artigas.

Leo will then celebrate vespers at 7:10 p.m. with clergy and religious at the
Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and Sts. Philip and
James.

The next day, Nov. 7, Leo is scheduled to travel from Montevideo to Paysandú in the morning. He will then celebrate Mass at the Parque París Londres at 10 a.m.

The pope will then return to Montevideo the same day for evening meetings with the Parish of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Catholic University of Uruguay.

At 7 p.m., Leo will lead a prayer vigil at the Centenary Stadium, which hosted the first FIFA World Cup in 1930.

On Nov. 8, Leo’s final day in Uruguay, he will celebrate Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Florida at 10 a.m. before departing for Argentina at 3:30 p.m.

Argentina

Pope Leo XIV will be the first pope to visit Argentina since 1987. He will remain there from Nov. 8–11.

The pontiff will land at the Jorge Newbery Airpark at 4:30 p.m. After visiting a war monument and attending an official welcome ceremony, he will meet with Argentina’s president, Javier Milei, in the evening and then address the country’s civil leaders and diplomatic corps.

On Nov. 9, Leo will travel to Claypole in the morning to visit the Pequeño Cottolengo Don Orione de Claypole, Argentina’s largest institution dedicated to caring for people with disabilities. He will then celebrate Mass at the  Monumento de los Españoles at 11:30 a.m.

The pope will then meet in the afternoon with the work community at the Catholic University of Argentina and then with interfaith leaders at the Palacio San Martín.

At 6:45 p.m., Leo will celebrate vespers with the bishops and the synodal teams at the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity. He will have dinner with the bishops afterward.

On Nov. 10, the pope will travel to Córdoba to celebrate Mass at the Military Aviation School. He will then meet with clergy and religious at the Cathedral of Córdoba before traveling back to Buenos Aires for a youth vigil at 8:15 p.m.

On the morning of Nov. 11, Leo will celebrate his final Mass in Argentina at the Basilica of Our Lady of Luján. He will then depart Buenos Aires at 2 p.m. to arrive in Lima, Peru, at 5:30 p.m.

Peru

Returning to the land where he served for two decades as a missionary and a bishop, Leo will visit Peru from Nov. 11–17.

After landing in Lima on Nov. 11, the pope will meet in the evening with the president of Peru, Keiko Fujimori, and address the country’s diplomatic corps.

He will meet in Lima on the morning of Nov. 12 with the bishops of Peru before leading midmorning prayer with clergy and religious at 10:20 a.m. at the Cathedral Basilica of Lima. Following the service, he will meet the faithful in the cathedral square and address them on the challenges of the Peruvian people.

In the evening, he will hold a prayer vigil with young people at the Estadio Monumental “U” in Lima before dinner with the bishops at the nunciature.

On Nov. 13 at 7:40 a.m., the pope will depart Lima for Chiclayo, where he served as diocesan bishop from 2015 to 2023. He is scheduled to arrive in Chiclayo at 9:10 a.m. and celebrate Mass near the Pampas de Pimentel at 10:30 a.m.

After a private visit to a chapel dedicated to St. Oscar Romero, Leo will meet in the evening with the synodal teams at the Shrine of Our Lady of Peace. Afterward, he will meet with the Santo Toribio de Mogrovejo Catholic University before having supper with priests of the Diocese of Chiclayo.

On Nov. 14 at 8 a.m., the pope will crown a statue of the Virgin Mary at the Cathedral of St. Mary in Chiclayo. He will then depart for Santa Cruz de Succhabamba to celebrate Mass there at 11 a.m. He will then return to Chiclayo that evening to lead a prayer service for the closing of the jubilee year of St. Turibius of Mogrovejo, who served as archbishop of Lima from 1579–1606.

On Nov. 15, Leo will travel from Chiclayo to Cusco. He will meet in the morning with the faithful at the Saqsaywaman National Park before leading the Angelus in the square of the Cusco Cathedral. In the afternoon, he will travel from Cusco to Pucallpa and meet with representatives of the Amazonian peoples. He will then celebrate Mass at the Villa Deportiva Regional Ucayali before traveling to the Callao Naval Air Base that evening.

On Nov. 16, the final day of his apostolic journey, Leo will visit a shelter run by nuns for elderly people in the morning before celebrating the final Mass of his trip at the Las Palmas Air Base.

He is scheduled to depart Callao Naval Air Base at 1:45 p.m. and arrive in Rome on Nov. 17 at 10:25 a.m. local time.

For the first time, a pope will witness an exposition of the Holy Tunic, the garment worn by Christ during his passion, which is preserved in the Basilica of Saint-Denis in Argenteuil, France.

The special relic is put on display during regular expositions every 50 years, as well as on extraordinary occasions — the most recent being in 2023 — but it has never before been brought before a pope.

Pope Leo XIV will be able to view it on Sept. 25, when it is displayed at the conclusion of the youth vigil at a soccer stadium in a suburb north of Paris, part of the packed schedule for his trip to France.

More than 80,000 French young people have registered for the prayer vigil at the Stade de France, and according to Father Guy-Emmanuel Cariot, former rector of the basilica of Argenteuil, Leo is the first pope to see the tunic since the time of St. Peter.

That may be an exaggeration, but it is true that there has never before been an extraordinary exposition of the relic during a papal journey and in the presence of a pontiff. That will happen during this trip, in part because only 3.7 miles separate the basilica of Argenteuil from the Stade de France.

The tunic will travel those nearly four miles under extremely tight security measures, made even stricter by memories of the theft of the tunic in 1983, when the relic disappeared for a couple of months. For that reason, the route the tunic will take is being kept confidential. It is known, however, that there will be surveillance both on the ground and from above to ensure that the transfer takes place discreetly and under optimal security conditions.

The tunic has been kept in Argenteuil for more than 1,200 years and is one of several relics of Christ’s passion preserved in France. The Crown of Thorns is kept at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, while the Holy Headcloth of Jesus is preserved in Cahors.

As for the Holy Tunic itself, it was mentioned in Gregory of Tours’ sixth-century work “Liber in Gloria Martyrum Beatorum” (“The Glory of the Martyrs and the Blessed”). The book notes that Jesus’ seamless tunic was kept in Galata, in a church dedicated to the holy archangels, about 120 miles from Constantinople. The seventh-century “Chronicle of Fredegar,” however, locates the tunic in Zafad, not far from Jerusalem.

The tunic later came into the possession of the Byzantine Empress Irene, who gave it to Charlemagne in the year 800 on the occasion of his coronation as the first emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. Charlemagne in turn donated it to the monastery of Argenteuil, whose abbess was his daughter Theodrada. The “Charta Hugonis” of 1156 notes that the tunic had long been kept in the basilica of Argenteuil.

Over the centuries, the tunic was hidden to protect it from the Normans and later from the Huguenots. During the French Revolution, in order to save it from anticlerical persecution, Father Ozot, pastor of Argenteuil, had it cut into pieces and hidden. It was eventually reassembled, although some portions were lost.

Other pieces of the tunic are preserved elsewhere. One example is the so-called “Tunic of Trier” in Germany, which has appeared in historical records since 1072 and is believed to be one of the relics brought back from the Holy Land by St. Helena. However, scholars have been unable to determine its origin and age because of its poor state of preservation and the extensive repairs it has undergone over the centuries.

This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Pope Leo XIV on Sunday appealed for greater international assistance to Somalia, where violence and extreme weather are worsening an already severe humanitarian crisis, particularly for women and children.

After reciting the Angelus on Sept. 20, the pope said: “With great concern, I am following the humanitarian crisis unfolding in certain areas of Somalia, where acts of violence and extreme weather events are exacerbating the already precarious living conditions of the population, particularly of women and children.”

“I hope for the generous involvement of the international community, so that our brothers and sisters may not lack the necessary assistance,” he added.

According to UNICEF, about 4.8 million people in Somalia need urgent humanitarian assistance, including some 3 million children. The U.N. agency has also warned that about 1.9 million children are suffering from acute malnutrition, including nearly half a million experiencing severe acute malnutrition.

The pope also used his remarks after the Angelus to emphasize the importance of historical memory.

He sent his blessing to residents of Pescantina, near Verona, who gathered Sunday at a monument honoring those who were deported and held prisoner during World War II.

Leo said the commemoration should serve “to emphasize that we must not forget, but rather learn from history so as not to repeat the mistakes of the past.”

God’s plans are greater than human calculations

Before the Angelus, Pope Leo XIV reflected on the day’s Gospel account of the laborers called to work in the vineyard, some for the entire day, others for only a few hours and still others near the end of the day.

Drawing on the prophet Isaiah, Leo said that God’s ways exceed human expectations.

“God’s plans are infinitely greater — and, let us say, more ‘human’ — than those that we men and women, marked by sin, can conceive or bring to fruition,” he said.

The pope recalled Isaiah’s invitation to turn away from sin and return to the Lord, saying “the prophet’s call, which is more relevant than ever, is that we abandon our warped ways and return to the Lord, who is mercy and forgiveness.”

Turning to the Gospel parable, Leo said its central moment comes when the vineyard owner pays the workers. Although he keeps the agreement made with those hired first, the owner also gives the same payment to those who arrived later.

“Jesus’ parables describe the newness of what God has in store for us; yet they also reveal the resistance we generally offer to a more generous justice and greater love,” the pope said.

Leo drew particular attention to the landowner’s instruction that the workers be paid “beginning with the last and then going to the first.”

“The negative reaction of those who had worked all day, then, could easily have been avoided; it was intentional, however, because the revelation of God’s goodness is for everyone, not just for a few,” he said.

The pope said the parable also challenges those who see themselves as having earned their place or accomplishments.

“God has different ways and fresh ideas even for those who consider themselves to be first and believe they have earned what they have, that they deserved the results they have achieved,” he said.

Leo concluded that God’s mercy moves beyond calculations based solely on merit and reward.

“Instead, we all gain joy, wisdom, and a better future when the law of love interrupts that of calculation, when the experience of mercy broadens that of merit, and when the gift of peace suspends rivalries and brings us closer together in gratitude,” he said.

This story was first published in two parts by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Pope Leo XIV on Sunday appealed for greater international assistance to Somalia, where violence and extreme weather are worsening an already severe humanitarian crisis, particularly for women and children.

After reciting the Angelus on Sept. 20, the pope said: “With great concern, I am following the humanitarian crisis unfolding in certain areas of Somalia, where acts of violence and extreme weather events are exacerbating the already precarious living conditions of the population, particularly of women and children.”

“I hope for the generous involvement of the international community, so that our brothers and sisters may not lack the necessary assistance,” he added.

According to UNICEF, about 4.8 million people in Somalia need urgent humanitarian assistance, including some 3 million children. The U.N. agency has also warned that about 1.9 million children are suffering from acute malnutrition, including nearly half a million experiencing severe acute malnutrition.

The pope also used his remarks after the Angelus to emphasize the importance of historical memory.

He sent his blessing to residents of Pescantina, near Verona, who gathered Sunday at a monument honoring those who were deported and held prisoner during World War II.

Leo said the commemoration should serve “to emphasize that we must not forget, but rather learn from history so as not to repeat the mistakes of the past.”

God’s plans are greater than human calculations

Before the Angelus, Pope Leo XIV reflected on the day’s Gospel account of the laborers called to work in the vineyard, some for the entire day, others for only a few hours and still others near the end of the day.

Drawing on the prophet Isaiah, Leo said that God’s ways exceed human expectations.

“God’s plans are infinitely greater — and, let us say, more ‘human’— than those that we men and women, marked by sin, can conceive or bring to fruition,” he said.

The pope recalled Isaiah’s invitation to turn away from sin and return to the Lord, saying “the prophet’s call, which is more relevant than ever, is that we abandon our warped ways and return to the Lord, who is mercy and forgiveness.”

Turning to the Gospel parable, Leo said its central moment comes when the vineyard owner pays the workers. Although he keeps the agreement made with those hired first, the owner also gives the same payment to those who arrived later.

“Jesus’ parables describe the newness of what God has in store for us; yet they also reveal the resistance we generally offer to a more generous justice and greater love,” the pope said.

Leo drew particular attention to the landowner’s instruction that the workers be paid “beginning with the last and then going to the first.”

“The negative reaction of those who had worked all day, then, could easily have been avoided; it was intentional, however, because the revelation of God’s goodness is for everyone, not just for a few,” he said.

The pope said the parable also challenges those who see themselves as having earned their place or accomplishments.

“God has different ways and fresh ideas even for those who consider themselves to be first and believe they have earned what they have, that they deserved the results they have achieved,” he said.

Leo concluded that God’s mercy moves beyond calculations based solely on merit and reward.

“Instead, we all gain joy, wisdom and a better future when the law of love interrupts that of calculation, when the experience of mercy broadens that of merit, and when the gift of peace suspends rivalries and brings us closer together in gratitude,” he said.

This story was first published in two parts by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

When the Catholic Church is mentioned, many think exclusively of the Latin Church, to which the vast majority of the worldʼs Catholics belong. However, the Catholic Church is actually composed of 24 “sui iuris” or autonomous Churches: the Latin Church and 23 Eastern Catholic Churches, which are heirs to the ancient Christian traditions of the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Africa, and India.

These Churches have preserved their own liturgical languages, spiritualities, disciplines, and forms of ecclesiastical organization. Some celebrate the liturgy in Arabic, Syriac, Geʼez, Coptic, Armenian, or Church Slavonic. Others maintain traditions that date back to the early communities founded by the apostles.

All of them are in full communion with the pope, the successor of St. Peter and head of the worldwide Catholic Church.

One Church, many traditions

The Eastern Catholic Churches stem from five major liturgical traditions: Alexandrian, Antiochene, Armenian, Chaldean, and Byzantine. Each possesses its own theological, spiritual, and cultural heritage, developed over centuries within vastly different historical contexts.

Among them are well-known Churches such as the Maronite Church of Lebanon, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, the Syro-Malabar Church of India, and the Coptic Catholic Church of Egypt. Many exist as minorities in countries where Islam or Orthodox Churches predominate, and several have endured persecution, war, or mass emigration.

Governance through synods

One of the most distinctive characteristics of these Churches is their internal organization. Unlike the practice often found in the Latin Church, many Eastern Churches operate through a robust synodal system.

Each Church is structured around a synod of bishops, which serves as the primary governing body. This body legislates on numerous aspects of ecclesial life, makes pastoral decisions, and participates in the election of new bishops. In patriarchal and major archiepiscopal Churches, the synod even elects the patriarch or major archbishop, an election that must subsequently be recognized or confirmed in accordance with norms established by Rome.

Pope Leo XIV has recently reformed the canon law governing Eastern patriarchal Churches to address a legal gap that hindered the resolution of internal conflicts. Through a motu proprio the pontiff granted greater autonomy to the bishops, enabling them to convene a synod independently of the patriarch and to seek his removal with a two-thirds majority vote, a measure that remains subject to the popeʼs final approval.

The 23 Eastern ChurchesAlexandrian traditionCoptic Catholic Church

The Coptic Catholic Church has its roots in the ancient Church of Alexandria, founded according to tradition by St. Mark the Evangelist. It is primarily present in Egypt and uses the Alexandrian rite in the Coptic and Arabic languages.

It entered into full communion with Rome in the 18th century and is headed by the Coptic patriarch of Alexandria. Interestingly, the Coptic language used in the liturgy represents the final historical stage of the language of ancient pharaonic Egypt, making this Church the direct heir to a cultural tradition spanning more than 3,000 years.

Pope Leo XIV with representatives of the Coptic Church in St. Peter’s Square. | Credit: Vatican Media Ethiopian Catholic Church

The Ethiopian Catholic Church arose from communities of the Ge’ez tradition that reestablished full communion with the Holy See. It is present primarily in Ethiopia and celebrates the liturgy according to the Ethiopian Alexandrian rite, which is characterized by strong biblical symbolism and numerous distinctive traditions.

It primarily uses the Ge’ez language in its liturgy and is distinguished by the integration of African cultural elements into ecclesial life. An interesting feature is that many of its celebrations include traditional instruments such as drums and sistrums, a practice uncommon in other Catholic Churches.

Eritrean Catholic Church

Established as a “sui iuris” metropolitan church in 2015 by Pope Francis, the Eritrean Catholic Church brings together Catholics of the Alexandrian tradition in Eritrea. It shares the use of the Ge’ez rite with the Ethiopian Church, although it possesses its own hierarchy.

It represents a significant portion of the countryʼs Catholics and is notable for the vitality of its vocations and its strong Eastern liturgical identity. It is one of the youngest Eastern Catholic Churches from an institutional standpoint, even though its Christian roots date back to the early centuries.

Armenian TraditionArmenian Catholic Church

The Armenian Catholic Church follows the liturgical and spiritual tradition of the Armenian people, the first kingdom to officially adopt Christianity in the year 301. It gradually entered into communion with Rome starting in the Middle Ages and is currently led by the patriarch of Cilicia of the Armenians.

Its liturgy, traditionally celebrated in Classical Armenian, preserves unique elements derived from ancient Armenian traditions. A notable feature is the use of a curtain that is drawn and opened at specific moments during the liturgy, a custom inherited from early Christianity.

Antiochene Tradition (West Syriac)Maronite Church

The Maronite Church is the only Eastern Catholic Church that has never broken communion with Rome. Its origins trace back to the communities gathered around St. Maron in Syria and Lebanon.

It is headed by the Maronite patriarch of Antioch and follows the West Antiochene rite, retaining the liturgical use of Syriac alongside Arabic and other modern languages. Many liturgical texts contain words in Aramaic, the language spoken by Jesus, giving its celebrations a particularly evocative character.

Lebanese Cardinal Béchara Boutros Raï, leader of the Maronite Catholic Church, delivers a homily during the Synod on Synodality on Oct. 9, 2023. | Credit: Vatican Media Syriac Catholic Church

The Syriac Catholic Church originated from groups within the Syriac Orthodox Church that entered into communion with Rome during the 17th and 18th centuries. It preserves the spiritual and liturgical heritage of the ancient Syriac tradition of Antioch.

It is headed by the patriarch of Antioch of the Syriacs and celebrates the liturgy in West Syriac and in the vernacular languages ​​of its faithful. Its hymns and prayers retain very ancient expressions of Semitic Christianity that have scarcely changed since the early centuries.

Syro-Malankara Catholic Church

The Syro-Malankara Catholic Church traces its origins to the Christian community of Kerala, India, which is historically linked to the West Syriac tradition. In 1930, a group led by Archbishop Geevarghese Mar Ivanios entered into communion with Rome.

Today, it is a major archiepiscopal church that combines the Antiochene liturgical heritage with Indian cultural traditions. During certain important celebrations, the faithful participate in processions featuring ceremonial umbrellas and floral decorations characteristic of Indian culture.

Chaldean tradition (East Syriac)Chaldean Catholic Church

The Chaldean Catholic Church originates from the ancient Church of the East and has its primary historical center in Mesopotamia, particularly in present-day Iraq. It entered into communion with Rome during the 16th and 17th centuries and is led by the patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans.

It employs the Chaldean rite and preserves the liturgical use of Eastern Aramaic, a language closely related to the one spoken by Jesus. Its communities maintain some of the oldest Christian traditions in the world, in territories evangelized as early as the first centuries.

Syro-Malabar Catholic Church

The Syro-Malabar Catholic Church is one of the largest Eastern Catholic Churches. It traces its roots to the so-called St. Thomas Christians of India, who, according to tradition, were evangelized by the apostle.

It follows the East Syriac liturgical tradition and has been raised to the rank of a major archiepiscopal church. It currently has millions of faithful, both in India and in the diaspora. It is the second-largest Eastern Catholic Church in the world, surpassed only by the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.

Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil of the Syro-Malabar Church. | Credit: Syro-Malabar Church Byzantine traditionAlbanian Catholic Church

The Albanian Catholic Church of the Byzantine rite is a small Eastern Catholic Church found primarily in Albania. It arose from communities that adopted the Byzantine tradition while maintaining communion with Rome.

Although small in number, it stands as an important testament to the religious diversity of the Balkans. Its history was marked by severe religious persecution under the Albanian communist regime, one of the harshest of the 20th century.

Belarusian Catholic Church

The Belarusian Catholic Church follows the Slavic Byzantine tradition and traces its origins to the Union of Brest of 1596. Over the centuries, it endured persecution and long periods of institutional disappearance.

Today, it exists primarily in small communities both within and outside Belarus. For decades, it survived mainly thanks to groups of emigrants scattered across Europe and the Americas.

Byzantine-Slavic Rite Catholics in Bulgaria

The Byzantine-Slavic Rite Catholic community in Bulgaria emerged in the 19th century, when a group of Bulgarian Christians sought communion with Rome while retaining the Byzantine-Slavic liturgical and spiritual tradition. A pivotal moment occurred in 1861 with the reception of Archimandrite Joseph Sokolsky into the Catholic Church and his episcopal consecration by Pope Pius IX.

Today, Byzantine-Slavic Rite Catholics in Bulgaria comprise the Eparchy of St. John XXIII of Sofia, established in 2019 when the former apostolic exarchate was raised to the rank of eparchy. They preserve the Byzantine-Slavic liturgical tradition, celebrating the Divine Liturgy primarily in Bulgarian and Church Slavonic.

At the same time, the Catholic Church in Bulgaria also includes the Latin dioceses of Sofia and Plovdiv-Nikópolis. Thus, Bulgaria is a particularly interesting example of the coexistence of Latin and Byzantine-Slavic traditions within the same jurisdiction.

Greek Catholic Church

The Greek Catholic Church consists of communities of the Byzantine tradition located in Greece that are historically linked to communion with Rome. It preserves the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom and other forms characteristic of the Byzantine heritage.

Situated in a country where the vast majority of Christians belong to the Orthodox Church, it constitutes a small but significant minority.

Hungarian Greek Catholic Church

The Hungarian Greek Catholic Church arose from Byzantine-rite communities established in the Kingdom of Hungary. It uses Hungarian in its liturgy and was elevated to the rank of a metropolitan “sui iuris” Church in 2015.

It was one of the first Eastern Churches to widely introduce a modern language, Hungarian, into its liturgical celebrations.

Italo-Albanian Church

The Italo-Albanian Church brings together communities of Albanian origin established in southern Italy and Sicily between the 15th and 16th centuries. It faithfully preserves the Byzantine tradition and has never lost communion with Rome.

The Monastery of Grottaferrata, founded in 1004 near Rome, remains the only territorial Byzantine monastery in Italy today.

Macedonian Greek Catholic Church

The Macedonian Greek Catholic Church is composed of the Byzantine-rite Catholics of North Macedonia. It originated from movements seeking union with Rome during the 19th and 20th centuries. It is one of the smallest Eastern Catholic Churches.

Melkite Greek Catholic Church

The Melkite Greek Catholic Church originated in 1724 following a schism within the Patriarchate of Antioch. It has a significant presence around the world, including in Lebanon, Syria, Brazil, Argentina, Israel, and Palestine.

Its patriarch holds the title of Melkite patriarch of Antioch, Alexandria, and Jerusalem. It is the only Catholic Church whose patriarch simultaneously holds these three great historical patriarchal titles of the East.

St. George Melkite Greek Catholic Cathedral in Córdoba, Argentina. | Credit: Córdoba Municipal Tourism Romanian Greek Catholic Church

The Romanian Greek Catholic Church arose through the union of part of the Romanian Orthodox Church with Rome in the late 17th century. It suffered severe persecution under the communist regime, which declared it illegal shortly after coming to power in 1948 until its demise in 1989. Seven of its bishops, who died during the communist persecution, were beatified by Pope Francis in 2019.

Russian Greek Catholic Church

This Church of the Byzantine Rite consists of small communities that preserve the Russian liturgical tradition in communion with the Holy See. It originated in the early 20th century and endured terrible Soviet persecution. Currently, it lacks a fully developed hierarchy, and many of its faithful live in the diaspora.

Ruthenian Church

The Ruthenian Church has its roots in the Union of Uzhhorod of 1646 and is historically linked to the peoples of the Carpathians. It is present primarily in Slovakia, Ukraine, and the United States. In North America, it developed such a strong distinct identity that it has its own metropolitan see in Pittsburgh.

Slovak Greek Catholic Church

The Slovak Greek Catholic Church shares its origins with the Ruthenian tradition and was restored following the communist persecutions of the 20th century.

In 2008, it was elevated to the rank of a metropolitan “sui iuris” church. Among its best-known martyrs are Bishops Pavel Peter Gojdič and Vasiľ Hopko, canonized for their fidelity during the communist persecution.

Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church

The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church is the largest of all the Eastern Catholic Churches. It originated with the Union of Brest in 1596 and endured intense persecution during the Soviet era.

It is led by a major archbishop based in Kyiv and has millions of faithful worldwide. For more than 40 years of communist persecution, it was the largest underground Catholic Church in the world.

Pope Leo XIV greets Sviatoslav Shevchuk, primate of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. | Credit: Vatican Media Croatian and Serbian Greek Catholic Church (Eparchy of Križevci)

The Eparchy of Križevci brings together Catholics of the Byzantine tradition from Croatia, Serbia, and other territories of the former Yugoslavia. Established in 1777, it serves the faithful of diverse ethnic and linguistic backgrounds.

Services in its parishes are celebrated in Croatian, Church Slavonic, Ruthenian, and other local languages, reflecting the cultural diversity of the Balkans.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

ROME — A conference marking the 10th anniversary of the death of Father Gabriele Amorth offered a lesser-known portrait of the celebrated exorcist, highlighting his humanity, spirituality, and gift for communicating the faith.

A large audience gathered Sept. 16 at the Basilica of St. Mary Queen of Apostles in Rome for the conference, titled “Father Gabriele Amorth: The Living Legacy for the Church and Our Time.”

Amorth died in Rome on Sept. 16, 2016. The Italian Catholic magazine Famiglia Cristiana, the Society of St. Paul, and the International Association of Exorcists organized the event in his memory.

Speakers included Father Francesco Bamonte, vice president of the International Association of Exorcists; Father Marcello Lanza, an exorcist in the Diocese of Acerra and a scholar of Amorth’s life; Father Aldo Buonaiuto, an exorcist and coordinator of the anti-cult service of the Pope John XXIII Community; and Father Stefano Stimamiglio, director of Famiglia Cristiana. Annachiara Valle, Famiglia Cristiana’s Vatican correspondent, moderated the discussion.

The speakers portrayed Amorth as a priest who dedicated his life to the ministry of exorcism but whose thought and example also shed light on broader dimensions of spirituality and faith. The conference explored not only his ministry but also his profound humanity and a spirituality that approached mysticism.

Bamonte reviewed the principal stages of Amorth’s life and ministry. Cardinal Ugo Poletti appointed the Pauline priest an exorcist of the Diocese of Rome in 1985. Amorth trained under Venerable Father Candido Amantini, a Passionist priest and renowned exorcist at Rome’s Scala Santa.

Amorth’s dedication to the ministry led him to establish the International Association of Exorcists in 1994. He served as its president until 2000.

Formation was particularly important to Amorth. He sought to provide firm theological criteria and prevent people’s suffering and vulnerability from being exploited through occult practices. Bamonte also emphasized Amorth’s attentiveness to those who suffered and his understanding of exorcism as an “act of charity.”

Lanza examined the relationship among theology, mysticism, and spiritual discernment in Amorth’s life and ministry.

Buonaiuto drew a parallel between Amorth and Father Oreste Benzi, founder of the Pope John XXIII Community. He described them as two priests who “certainly did not know diplomacy” and who addressed directly the issue closest to their hearts: the suffering of others.

Stimamiglio focused on Amorth’s ability to communicate simply and without technical language. Amorth did not reject journalism but believed it should be as clear as possible and remain close to the truth — an approach inspired by Blessed James Alberione, founder of the Society of St. Paul — and ultimately point toward the truth of the Gospel and of Christ.

This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Pope Leo XIV on Friday highlighted the contributions of laypeople and religious who helped shape Catholic social teaching and embodied “a Church forging ahead in new directions.”

During a Sept. 18 audience with approximately 50 members of the Leo XIV International Study Center, the pope described Christian humanism as “a vision open to the Creator” that fosters fraternal relationships. He said Catholic social teaching emerged from that same humanist tradition.

“The Church’s social doctrine also emerged from this matrix,” Leo said in the Vatican’s Consistory Hall. “Its analysis of Christian revelation in the context of modern social, labor, economic, and cultural issues would not have been possible without the contribution of the laity, men and women alike, who grappled with the great issues of their time.”

“At their side were those men and women religious who embodied a Church forging ahead in new directions,” he said, quoting his apostolic exhortation Dilexi Te.

The research, educational, and cultural institution was founded within the Order of St. Augustine in October 2025 and is dedicated to studying the life and magisterium of Pope Leo XIV.

“The epochal change we are now undergoing makes even more necessary a constant interaction between the faithful and the Church’s magisterium, between ordinary citizens and experts, between individuals and institutions,” the pope said.

During the audience, Leo encouraged the center’s members to promote formation directed toward public engagement and service to society.

“At the cost of swimming against the tide, your mission of hope consists of promoting, in Italy and throughout the world, formation for public and political life conceived as a service to the common good, responsibility towards the community, and the building of relationships based on solidarity, justice, and peace,” he said.

Established as an organization in Italy’s “third sector” in December 2025, the center seeks to promote reflection on Catholic social teaching and its application to contemporary challenges.

A civilization of love

Leo expressed his appreciation for the Augustinian initiative, stressing “the importance of reflection and critical thinking in building a civilization of love, to which the social doctrine of the Church has much to offer.”

The pope also praised the center’s commitment to dialogue with universities, academic institutions, public bodies, civil society organizations, ecclesial institutions, and networks of associations in an effort to foster cooperation and exchange at both the national and international levels.

In that context, he highlighted its collaboration with the Theological Faculty of Central Italy and the Pontifical Patristic Institute Augustinianum.

“The key lies in walking together, always, without closing the door to encounter even with those who are different and seem to think, speak, or act differently,” he said.

A humanism open to peace

Leo also emphasized the symbolic significance of Florence as the home of the new study center.

The choice of the city, he explained, is “an invitation to draw inspiration from the values of humanism, a vision open to the Creator and, for that very reason, one that builds fraternal relationships.”

“It is not wars, but the weaving of peace and just balances that produces civilization, with the active participation of all the social and cultural components of an open society,” he said.

Political formation as an answer to resignation

Leo expressed his hope that the center would foster dialogue and prepare new generations to participate in public life.

“May your study center promote this exercise, which requires pioneers and facilitators, especially when forms of mistrust and resignation threaten to prevail,” he said.

The pope called the center’s work “the opposite of resignation” and urged it to promote public and political service grounded in responsibility for the community and the common good.

St. Augustine and love as a force for renewal

In the final part of his address, Leo underscored the relevance of Augustinian thought to the challenges facing the contemporary world.

Augustinian reflection, he said, has “much to offer in this regard within today’s international context, for an understanding of love as the principle of renewal in personal, economic, and political life.”

“Love binds in order to liberate, unites in order to generate, and commits in order to build,” he said.

The pope also cited his encyclical Magnifica Humanitas: “We view history in the light of the crucified and risen Lord … We do not consider the present as a predetermined fate, but an opportunity for personal and collective conversion.”

Finally, he encouraged the center’s members to become witnesses to God’s quiet action in history.

“Yes, be experts in God’s newness: not that which dazzles with speed and efficiency, but that which he works silently, freeing the old world from its dead ends and opening up paths along which we may journey together, toward his city,” he said.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

St. Peter’s Basilica, which is marking 400 years since its consecration, has completed a mosaic restoration in the dome of one of its most ornate chapels.

The Fabbrica di San Pietro — the Vatican institution responsible for maintaining St. Peter’s — announced the project’s completion on Sept. 17. The announcement described the project as necessary to conserve “one of the most significant decorative achievements of early seventeenth-century Rome.” The Italian Mannerist painter Cristofano Roncalli (also known as “Il Pomarancio”) created the mosaics between 1601 and 1604.

The circular hole contains the name of Pope Clement VIII, who commissioned the Clementine Chapel on the upper floor of St. Peter’s Basilica. The restoration of the dome’s mosaics was completed in September 2026. | Credit: Fabbrica di San Pietro

The Clementine Chapel, distinct from another of the same name in the Vatican Grottoes, contains the Altar of St. Gregory the Great (where he is buried), the monument to Pope Pius VII, the Altar of the Lie, and the Altar of the Transfiguration.

Deacons process through the Clementine Chapel in St. Peter’s Basilica during a chrism Mass with Pope Leo XIV on April 2, 2026. | Credit: Ishmael Adibuah/EWTN News

The restoration included preliminary inspections of the mosaics, cleaning and dust removal, removal of incompatible materials, and efflorescence treatment.

The Clementine Chapel was commissioned by Pope Clement VIII, who reigned from 1592–1605. It was begun and designed by the renowned Italian artist Michelangelo Buonarroti, who also designed the main dome of St. Peter’s Basilica. The Italian architect Giacomo della Porta completed the chapel’s dome in 1580, 20 years before the jubilee year of 1600.

An empty St. Peter’s Basilica. | Credit: Vatican Media

The mosaics were restored as St. Peter’s Basilica marked the 400th anniversary of its consecration. In February, the Vatican announced that it will open new parts of the basilica — including the full terrace — and roll out a “SmartPass” digital entry system.

The basilica, which replaced an earlier Constantinian basilica, was consecrated by Pope Urban VIII on Nov. 18, 1626.

A view of St. Peter’s Basilica during the canonization Mass of St. Giovanni Battista Scalabrini and St. Artemide Zatti on Oct. 9, 2022. | Credit: Daniel Ibañez/EWTN News

The Vatican has condemned hate speech to the United Nations (U.N.) as a threat to human dignity and a dangerous source of violence and division among peoples.

Archbishop Christophe-Zakhia El-Kassis, the new permanent observer of the Holy See to the U.N., made these remarks on Sept. 17, delivering his first address since being appointed by Pope Leo XIV in July. He delivered the address in New York at the Global Conference on Promoting Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue and Tolerance in Countering Hate Speech.

In his address, El-Kassis reaffirmed the Holy See’s position that all human beings possess inviolable human dignity that cannot be diminished. He also warned against threats to this dignity, including hate speech.

“Hate speech — whether directed against individuals or communities on the basis of their religion, ethnicity, nationality, or any other characteristic — contradicts the commandment to love one’s neighbor, poisons public discourse, inflames division, and too often prepares the ground for violence and persecution,” El-Kassis stated in his remarks.

El-Kassis also affirmed the Holy See’s recognition of the right to freedom of expression, provided that one be mindful of the responsibilities that accompany this freedom.

The archbishop also cited Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, reminding those present that the “first contribution we can make toward a more humane civilization is to be mindful of our words.”

“Pope Leo XIV insists, ‘… Disarmed and disarming communication allows us to share a different view of the world and to act in a manner consistent with our human dignity,’” El-Kassis concluded.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state, said nations should work together to face the challenges of artificial intelligence (AI).

Parolin expressed his concerns about AI on the sidelines of the conference “Faith and Reason in the Age of Artificial Intelligence” held Sept. 16 in Rome at the Palazzo Montecitorio, the seat of the Italian Parliament.

As originally reported by Vatican News, Parolin also delivered a keynote address at the conference, focusing on both the potential and the threats of AI. In his address, he thanked Italian President Sergio Mattarella for his recent appeal for greater collaboration among states on AI governance and said he hoped nations would respond.

“My concern is that there are countries which, in fact, want to go it alone,” Parolin said in his address. “Let us stop and genuinely reflect on what the consequences of artificial intelligence and its use might be.”

‘I try to put a little heart into my homilies’

Speaking to journalists on the sidelines, Parolin stated that he did not use AI to draft his homilies, preferring to “put a little heart” into them.

“Artificial intelligence is all head and no heart. I try to put a little heart into my homilies,” Parolin said to the journalists.

“Today artificial intelligence is imposing itself, because when you open your computer and read something, it already gives you a summary.”

His discouragement of using AI to draft homilies echoes that of Pope Leo XIV. During a Q&A session with priests of the Diocese of Rome in February, he warned priests against this practice.

Holy See diplomacy in Russia-Ukraine conflict

Parolin also responded to journalists’ questions about the Holy See’s advocacy of Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia. He expressed hope that it would reach a peaceful resolution.

“The diplomacy of the Holy See, the diplomacy of sowing, does not produce a harvest. So we hope that, by continuing to sow, one day, when God wills it, we may also reap,” Parolin said.

His comments follow recent interventions by the Holy See in pursuing a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia. Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican’s secretary for relations with states and international organizations, traveled to Russia from Aug. 25–27 to meet with its leaders to discuss potential resolutions to the war.

Pope Leo XIV has appointed Bishop Brendan Cahill of the Diocese of Victoria, Texas, as the seventh bishop of Joliet, Illinois.

Cahill’s appointment, announced by the Vatican on Sept. 17, makes him the successor to then-bishop Ronald Hicks, who led the diocese from 2020 to 2026. The pontiff appointed Hicks as archbishop of New York in December 2025.

According to the Vatican announcement, Cahill was born in Coral Gables, Florida, on Nov. 28, 1963. He was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston in Texas on May 19, 1990.

Before his ordination, Cahill earned degrees in psychology, African American studies, and dogmatic theology. He studied at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Xavier University in Louisiana, and the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.

After his ordination, Cahill served as a parish priest in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston for four years before returning to St. Mary’s Seminary as a faculty member. He was promoted to rector of the seminary in 2001.

After a period of service in the archdiocesan curia, Pope Francis appointed Cahill as the third bishop of Victoria. He received episcopal consecration on June 29, 2015, from the then-archbishop of Galveston-Houston, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo.

In 2025, Cahill was appointed chair of the Committee on Migration for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

VATICAN CITY — Sixty years after the Second Vatican Council’s declaration Nostra Aetate, the Vatican is calling for a renewed approach to interreligious dialogue aimed at fostering peaceful coexistence without erasing religious differences.

“Today, in the face of those who foment divisions and stir up conflicts, believers of different traditions — and above all their leaders — while remaining aware of their irreducible differences, are called to seek, with clarity and hope, the conditions necessary for peaceful coexistence,” states a new joint note from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, and the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue.

The document, titled “A Journey of Hope: Sixty Years of Interreligious Dialogue and Fraternity in the Light of the Conciliar Declaration Nostra Aetate,” was published Sept. 16. Pope Leo XIV approved the note at an audience with the prefects and secretaries of the three dicasteries on June 22 and ordered its publication.

The text reviews the teaching of successive popes on interreligious relations, looks back at the path traveled since Nostra Aetate was promulgated in 1965, and turns to the challenges facing dialogue today.

“In stark contrast to those rigid attitudes that seek to resolve conflicts by force, it is time to promote a new ethic of dialogue: a culture of complexity, flexibility, and friendship,” the document states. “It is no longer a matter of fearing or keeping one’s distance from the ‘other believer’ — another civilization, another way of thinking — but of daring the encounter.”

One of the document’s proposals is to give greater recognition to concrete initiatives undertaken by local Churches.

“At the same time, greater appreciation must be given to the concrete initiatives undertaken by the local Churches, which are on the front lines,” the note states. “It is they who, at the local level, develop the most creative and courageous forms of encounter: dialogue commissions, joint projects, educational or humanitarian initiatives, and shared celebrations.”

By gathering and sharing those experiences, the document says, “the universal Church can enrich her life while also identifying and guiding new pastoral paths.”

At the same time, the Vatican note stresses that dialogue does not mean abandoning claims to religious truth.

“It is not, therefore, a matter of renouncing the truth but of proclaiming it in a manner befitting the Gospel: with esteem, listening, and charity,” the document states.

The note says achieving genuine dialogue requires “a genuine shift in mindset,” defined as “abandoning the logic of defensiveness, hostility, or conquest in order to adopt an attitude that is open, benevolent, and courageous.”

It also calls for a renewed pedagogy of dialogue, beginning with formation in seminaries, theological institutes, and pastoral programs.

“It is no longer sufficient to proclaim the importance of dialogue; it must now be lived, providing the faithful with the tools to participate in it in an informed, critical, and serene manner,” the document states.

The note points to knowledge of religions, the history of interreligious relations, guidelines for dialogue, religious literacy, and an understanding of contemporary cultural and geopolitical issues as important elements of such formation.

In its conclusion, the document underscores the importance it assigns to interreligious fraternity amid contemporary conflicts and social challenges.

“Fraternity among believers of different religious traditions is not merely an ideal, but a moral, spiritual, and social imperative,” it states.

“Faced with contemporary challenges — religious extremism, global migration, secularization, and ecological and social crises — religions are called to transform the world and society so that they may become fraternal expressions of God’s will.”

“This commitment necessarily involves a renewed education in dialogue, especially among younger generations, to overcome fears and prejudices and to foster a genuine culture of encounter,” the note concludes.

A version of this story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

VATICAN CITY — As artificial intelligence reshapes workplaces and corporate decision-making, labor leaders and Catholic bishops are calling for workers to have a direct voice in how the technology is introduced and used.

Their argument is not that technological innovation should be resisted but that decisions affecting jobs, wages, and working conditions should not be left solely to corporate executives or automated systems. Instead, they point to collective bargaining, social dialogue, and human oversight as safeguards for workers’ dignity and rights.

Liz Shuler, president of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), said protecting workers requires confronting a model in which executives make far-reaching technological decisions without worker input.

“Right now, we have CEOs who want to play God to make decisions that affect hundreds of millions of working people without our input and consent,” Shuler said.

Shuler made the remarks at a Sept. 11 Vatican press conference held in connection with the Fourth Fratelli Tutti Synodal Meeting, a Sept. 10–12 gathering in Rome focused on dialogue between the Global North and South on social and environmental issues. The press conference brought together labor and Church leaders to discuss, among other questions, the impact of artificial intelligence on workers and the need for social dialogue. Other speakers included Bishop Daniel Flores, vice president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops; Cardinal Jaime Spengler; and labor leader Gerardo Martínez.

For Shuler, social dialogue is essential to ensuring that AI is developed and deployed with human dignity in mind. She compared the current technological transition to the introduction of electricity during the second industrial revolution.

“Electricity was a new technology that was raw and revolutionary and dangerous, and companies were racing to make profits and people were suffering,” she said.

Shuler linked that history to Pope Leo XIII’s 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum, which addressed the relationship between labor and capital. It was “workers organizing together in a union who stood up to demand safety from the government, from power companies, and negotiated to make sure electricity was installed and used responsibly to benefit everyone,” she said.

She also pointed to the partnership between the AFL-CIO and Microsoft as an example of how organized labor can seek a formal role in the development and introduction of AI.

Shuler said the agreement “guarantees workers a voice in the development of AI” and “puts into writing our workers’ right to form a union.”

Martínez similarly argued that worker protections need not come at the expense of technological innovation. He summarized the labor movement’s approach in three principles: “Not resisting innovation, not accepting exclusion, and negotiating transition.”

Under that approach, unions do not reject technological advances but insist that automated systems should not independently determine fundamental working conditions.

“We cannot accept that an algorithm decides by itself about employment, salary, and rights that correspond to a worker,” Martínez said.

He said the objective should be integration rather than a confrontation between workers and technology: “The challenge is not technology against work. The challenge is technology with worthy work, productivity, distribution, and development with social justice.”

Flores connected the issue of worker participation to Catholic social teaching, particularly the principle of subsidiarity and the importance of allowing communities affected by technological change to express their concerns.

“From the Catholic point of view, history is not always a matter of what the powerful decide, that there are other things that move history,” Flores said. “One of them is social friendship, and a sense of justice, and a sense of what is right.”

Those themes also figure prominently in Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, which addresses the protection of human dignity amid the development of artificial intelligence.

Spengler cited the encyclical’s call to each generation to shape technological and social change in accordance with human dignity: “Each generation inherits the task of shaping its own era, of guiding history to become a place where the dignity of every person is safeguarded, justice is promoted, and fraternity is made possible.”

Taken together, the speakers presented worker participation as a central question in the development of AI. Their proposed safeguards include collective bargaining, negotiated technological transitions, human oversight, and cooperation among unions, employers, international organizations, and faith communities — with the aim of ensuring that innovation serves workers rather than leaving consequential employment decisions to algorithms alone.

A Vatican conference on modern Christian martyrs concluded with a speech by Pope Leo XIV, who praised their witness and the evangelizing power of their simple, daily holiness.

The pontiff held a private audience at the Vatican on Sept. 16 with participants in the conference “The 21st Century: A New Time of Martyrs?” held at the Patristic Institute Augustinianum in Rome from Sept. 15–16.

The conference, organized by the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, discussed the ecumenical initiative “Commission for New Martyrs — Witnesses of the Faith” established by Pope Francis in 2023 to document the deaths of Christians of all denominations who have been killed for their faith since 2000.

Among the cases discussed was that of Sister Dorothy Stang, an American nun who was killed in Brazil in 2005 while serving the local population in the Amazon.

Christian witnesses propose a faith lived out daily, not an ideology

In his address, Pope Leo praised the dicastery’s work cataloging the lives of Christians killed for their faith and explained that their example can teach believers today to present the faith not as an ideology but as a way of life.

“The evangelizing strength of the new witnesses to the faith represents one of the Church’s greatest resources for proclaiming the Gospel in today’s world,” Leo said. “The witnesses to the faith do not propose an ideology but show a faith lived out in everyday life.”

He also explained the significance of those Christians to Catholics, saying they “are brothers and sisters who, in different geographical, historical, and political contexts, have given their life for the Gospel.”

The pope also said that daily holiness — the holiness next door — can help Christians explain and defend their faith in arguments.

“In indifferent cultural contexts, “holiness next door” and quiet heroism become powerful arguments, capable of speaking to everyone, even the most skeptical.”

Muslims in West Bank are tired of violence against Christians

Speakers at the conference included Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, and Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin patriarch of Jerusalem.

Pizzaballa, who delivered a speech on the suffering of Christians amid ongoing wars in the Holy Land, recounted his experience of explaining that suffering to Muslim students in Palestine.

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, delivers an address at the conference “The 21st Century: A New Time of Martyrs?” held at the Patristic Institute Augustinianum in Rome from Sept. 15–16, 2026. | Credit: Ishmael Adibuah/EWTN News

“I agreed to meet with young people from the local university [in Palestine] who insisted I come,” Pizzaballa recounted. “I had never experienced that before and was afraid. About 600 students were there, all Muslims. During the discussion, I expected political questions about the war. Instead, all the questions were about life, faith, and Christianity.”

“When I said that Christianity rejects violence …, they stood up and applauded, saying they, too, are tired of living in a system of violence.”

The blood of the martyrs comes before theological disagreements among Christians

Semeraro, in his address, discussed the progress of the “Commission for New Martyrs — Witnesses of the Faith” initiative and emphasized the need to prioritize the sacrifice of Christians for the faith over theological debates.

“The blood of the martyrs comes before our theological dialogues,” Semeraro said. “Where our Christian confessions still have wounds that need to be healed, the martyrs tell us that what is essential is already shared: the confession of Christ, even unto the gift of oneʼs life. This is called the ‘ecumenism of blood.’"

Sister Dorothy Stang and the impact of 9/11 on Christian persecution

Among the Christians mentioned at the conference was Sister Dorothy Stang, an American nun who was murdered in Brazil in 2005 for defending the land rights of the Indigenous peoples. In 2025, she became the first U.S. woman to be included in a permanent memorial in Rome for modern Christian martyrs.

The Basilica of St. Bartholomew on Tiberina Island contains a permanent memorial honoring various 21st-century Christian martyrs, including Sister Dorothy Stang. | Credit: Ishmael Adibuah/EWTN News

Sister Nicoletta Spezzati, a consultor for the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, described Stang as a “woman of contemplative prayer” who understood that “the predatory devastation of the planet is not simply a moral offense but humanityʼs rebellion against the Creator.”

Marcia Goodman, a niece of Stang, added that her life was rooted in the belief in a sustainable environment for all people.

“It’s especially powerful that Dorothy, a woman, is being recognized as a modern martyr,” Goodman told EWTN News. “She led her life in the belief that all people matter and therefore deserve a place to call home.”

Besides Stang, the impact of the U.S. terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, on Christian persecution in Europe was also noted. Father Roberto Regoli, president of the Joseph Ratzinger Foundation, described those attacks as a precursor to a new scale of Christian persecution internationally.

“Twenty-five years ago, on Sept. 11, we remember the attacks on the Twin Towers. We remember the airplane that struck the Pentagon in Washington. From those years onward, there was an escalation of conflicts at the international level,” Regoli said.

The Tribute in Light annual 9/11 memorial’s twin shafts of light soar skyward over Manhattan’s skyscrapers in 2025. | Credit: George Wirt/Shutterstock

“In the face of secularism, social difficulties, psychological difficulties, and religious tensions, there are men and women — religious and laypeople — who remain where they are. And perhaps this is itself a form of testimony: to remain in oneʼs place,” Regoli added.

Elias Turk contributed to this report.

VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV said Wednesday that the diversity of the world’s peoples “must not be considered as a danger or a threat, but rather as a resource for enrichment and growth.” He also criticized confrontational attitudes that, at times, “degenerate into violence.”

“Conflict, which at times degenerates into violence, is the result of the power of sin and the way it conditions mindsets and actions at every level, causing destruction and death,” he said during the general audience in St. Peter’s Square.

He underscored the need to “be ever more open to the logic of reciprocity, sharing, and care, as is also the case amongst the various members of the human body.”

The pontiff thus continued his catechetical series dedicated to Gaudium et Spes, the pastoral constitution on the Church and its role in the modern world, approved by the Second Vatican Council on Dec. 7, 1965.

According to Pope Leo, the message of the document, which considers “the growing interdependence of men” as “one of the salient features of the modern world,” is especially urgent today.

Risk of delegating important decisions to algorithms

Although the development of communications technology, social media, and artificial intelligence is opening up new possibilities and helping to break down “barriers and distances,” the pope observed that human relationships “are tending to become less and less personal, more virtual.”

From this perspective, he also warned of the risk of “becoming accustomed to delegating to algorithms decisions that are the sole preserve of the human conscience.”

“Ensuring that social relationships have real substance and personal depth is, in this regard, the contribution that the Christian community seeks to offer,” he told the hundreds of faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square to hear his teaching.

Pope Leo XIV speaks on the human community as described in “Gaudium et Spes” during his weekly general audience address in St. Peter’s Square on Sept. 16, 2026. | Credit: Daniel Ibañez/EWTN News

The pope also recalled that the pastoral constitution Gaudium et Spes offers a concise definition of the common good, understood as “the sum of those conditions of social life which allow social groups and their individual members relatively thorough and ready access to their own fulfillment.”

At the same time, he noted that the document recognizes the interdependence of peoples and states that “every social group must take account of the needs and legitimate aspirations of other groups, and even of the general welfare of the entire human family.”

Respect for human dignity

Building on this approach, the council fathers identified several “practical and particularly urgent consequences,” including respect for the human person.

The pope recalled that Gaudium et Spes states: “Whatever is opposed to life itself, such as any type of murder, genocide, abortion, euthanasia, or willful self-destruction, whatever violates the integrity of the human person, such as mutilation, torments inflicted on body or mind, attempts to coerce the will itself; whatever insults human dignity, such as subhuman living conditions, arbitrary imprisonment, deportation, slavery, prostitution, the selling of women and children; as well as disgraceful working conditions, where men are treated as mere tools for profit, rather than free and responsible persons; all these things and others of their like are infamies indeed.”

Likewise, the pope said that the second consequence of this message is “respect and love for adversaries or for those who think and act in ways different from our own.”

Third, Pope Leo emphasized that the fundamental equality of all human beings gives rise to the demand for social justice. In this regard, he urged people to “overcome the individualistic mindset” and adopt “an attitude of responsibility and participation.”

“The future of humanity depends on each person’s commitment to collaborate with God and with their brothers and sisters in building a more humane world,” the pope concluded.

At the end of the general audience, Leo XIV offered a special greeting to various groups of pilgrims and expressed his “deep appreciation” for the apostolate carried out by prison chaplains.

“May you always be a living presence of the Gospel and of Christian hope,” the Holy Father said, also thanking them for the assistance they provide both to him and to the Secretariat of State in the spiritual care of prisoners who write to the pope each day to share their personal struggles and wounds.

Among those present, Leo XIV also greeted participants in a pharmaceutical care course, encouraging them to combine scientific expertise with human closeness and an integral vision of the person.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Pope Leo XIV has appointed Newark, New Jersey, auxiliary bishop Michael Saporito as the new bishop of the Diocese of Metuchen, New Jersey.

The Vatican announced his appointment on Sept. 15, ending a nearly one-year wait for a new bishop of the diocese. The diocese was previously led by then-Bishop James Checchio from 2016 to 2025, after he served as rector of the Pontifical North American College in Rome. Checchio became the archbishop of New Orleans in 2026 after a brief period as its coadjutor archbishop.

The pope has also accepted the resignation of Bishop Francis Malone of Shreveport, Louisiana. Malone, 76, has led the diocese since 2019. Bishops are required to submit their resignations to the pope at the age of 75.

According to the Vatican announcement, Saporito was born in Newark on May 3, 1962. He was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Newark on May 30, 1992.

He also earned an accounting degree from Rutgers University and studied at Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology in South Orange, New Jersey, for several years before his ordination.

After his ordination, Saporito served as a parish priest at several parish churches throughout the archdiocese: St. Peter the Apostle in River Edge (1994–1999), Our Lady of Visitation in Paramus (1999–2001), St. Elizabeth in Wyckoff (2001–2004), St. Joseph in Maplewood (2004–2011), and St. Helen in Westfield (2011–2020).

In February 2020, Pope Francis appointed Saporito as an auxiliary bishop of Newark. He received his episcopal consecration on June 30 of the same year from Cardinal Joseph Tobin, CSsR, who has served as archbishop of Newark since 2016.

The Catholic Church has documented 304 martyrs in Latin America so far this century. These are men and women killed not only for professing their faith but also for defending the poor, confronting organized crime, and protecting creation.

Their stories are part of a global catalog of martyrs promoted by the Vatican that already exceeds 1,700 documented cases.

“Many were murdered for reasons related to drug trafficking, deforestation, or for opposing the exploitation of natural resources,” explained Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints.

The cardinal noted that while many were missionaries, the group also included lay faithful who gave their lives defending the Gospel and denouncing drug traffickers, protecting Indigenous territories from deforestation, or fighting the illegal exploitation of natural resources.

As he explained, the common thread in these cases is that these individuals became “inconvenient” to those controlling illicit activities. Their Gospel witness clashed directly with economic interests and criminal structures.

A conference to reflect on the new martyrs

Semeraro offered these reflections while presenting the international conference “The 21st Century: A New Era of Martyrs?” at the Vatican, a day of study and reflection dedicated to exploring the witness of Christians who have lost their lives for the sake of the Gospel in various parts of the world.

The gathering, organized by the Commission for New Martyrs — Witnesses to the Faith, was scheduled to take place Sept. 15 at the Pontifical Augustinianum Institute in Rome.

The international congress will bring together some of the most prominent voices from the Church, academia, and journalism in Rome to reflect on Christian witness in the contemporary world.

Participants include Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo, archbishop of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo; Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin patriarch of Jerusalem; and Andrea Riccardi, founder of the Community of Sant’Egidio. Experts will also speak, such as Archbishop Fabio Fabene, president of the Commission for New Martyrs; journalist Lucia Capuzzi; historian Father Roberto Regoli; and South Sudanese religious sister Alice Jurugo Drajea, who will share about Christian life amid the war ravaging her country.

The initiative comes a year after the commemoration of the martyrs and witnesses of the faith of the 21st century, presided over on Sept. 14, 2025, by Pope Leo XIV together with representatives of other Christian churches and communities at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls.

Pope Leo XIV celebrate Mass for the commemoration of the martyrs and witnesses of the faith of the 21st century on Sept. 14, 2025, at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome. The commemoration was an ecumenical event that also brought together representatives from Eastern Orthodox churches, Oriental Orthodox churches, various Christian communities as well as ecumenical institutions and officials from Vatican dicasteries. | Credit: Vatican Media

The commission continues to gather testimonies and information regarding Christians killed for their faith, aiming to preserve their memory and document the various forms of persecution and Christian witness in contemporary times.

According to data released by the organization last year, 1,624 martyrs worldwide had been documented between 2000 and 2025. Of these, 304 were from the Americas, a figure that reflects the specific nature of martyrdom in this region today.

The commission also noted that the record now exceeds 1,700 documented cases and that between 100 and 150 new testimonies were added in the last year alone, confirming that the phenomenon remains very much ongoing.

Holiness goes beyond canonization

In his remarks, Semeraro emphasized that holiness in the Church is not limited to those officially canonized.

“The grace of holiness in the Church is represented by canonization, but it is not exhausted by them. Obviously, this does not rule out the possibility that, provided the necessary conditions are met, the corresponding processes of beatification and canonization could be initiated for some of those listed in the catalogue,” he noted.

This is the case, for example, of Floribert Bwana Chui, a young Congolese man from the Community of Sant’Egidio who was murdered in 2007 for refusing to accept bribes and who was beatified in 2025.

However, he noted that the primary goal is to highlight the “high standard of ordinary Christian living” spoken of by St. John Paul II in Novo Millennio Ineunte, which Pope Francis later referred to as that of “the saints next door.”

The anthropological value of holiness

The cardinal also highlighted the deeply human dimension of Christian holiness.

“We need witnesses, martyrs, who have given themselves completely to demonstrate this to us day after day. We need them so that, even in the small choices of daily life, we may choose the good over comfort, knowing that this is precisely how we truly live life,” he explained, citing Pope Benedict XVI’s encyclical Spe Salvi.

Semeraro also highlighted the ecumenical value of this project, a characteristic that he noted St. John Paul II had sought to instill in the commission from its very inception.

Martyrdom continues to grow in the 21st century

During the presentation of the conference, historian Riccardi, vice chair of the commission, maintained that the Church is truly experiencing a “new era of martyrdom.”

He recalled that St. John Paul II promoted the gathering of testimonies from 20th-century martyrs for the jubilee of the year 2000, an initiative deeply shaped by his personal experience under the Nazi and communist regimes. In Riccardi’s view, that insight has proven even more relevant today.

For this reason, he explained, Pope Francis decided to reactivate and consolidate the Commission for New Martyrs, convinced that “the time of martyrdom continues.”

The Churchʼs response has been extensive. Dioceses, religious congregations, lay movements, episcopal conferences, and apostolic nunciatures have sent hundreds of testimonies to the Vatican.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.