Catholic News Agency
Swedish choir honors St. Lucy with songs in St. Peter’s Basilica
Rome Newsroom, Dec 13, 2025 / 09:00 am (CNA).
A Swedish youth choir marked the feast of St. Lucy by singing at a Mass at the Vatican on Thursday, Dec. 11.
Students from Nordiska Musikgymnasiet — The Nordic Music High School — in Stockholm performed traditional Swedish “Lucia songs” during an afternoon Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica ahead of the Italian saint’s Dec. 13 feast day.
Students from Nordiska Musikgymnasiet — The Nordic Music High School — in Stockholm perform traditional Swedish “Lucia songs” during an afternoon Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on Dec. 11, 2025. Credit: Bénédicte Cedergren/EWTN News“It was just really amazing” singing in St. Peter’s Basilica, choir member Alfio Tota told EWTN News after the Dec. 11 Mass. “It’s so enormous … And the acoustics are very interesting.”
The student recalled that though Sweden is a very secular country, the tradition of St. Lucia, as they call her, is quite strong.
Students from Nordiska Musikgymnasiet — The Nordic Music High School — in Stockholm perform traditional Swedish “Lucia songs” during an afternoon Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on Dec. 11, 2025. Credit: Bénédicte Cedergren/EWTN News“I think everyone feels quite a lot of joy and nostalgia in singing” the St. Lucy hymns, he said.
Choir member Fabienne Glader told EWTN News that she always spends the feast of St. Lucy with her family.
Students from Nordiska Musikgymnasiet — The Nordic Music High School — in Stockholm perform traditional Swedish “Lucia songs” during an afternoon Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on Dec. 11, 2025. Credit: Bénédicte Cedergren/EWTN NewsSt. Lucy “shows courage and patience and just to never [give up] on yourself,” Glader said. “Even if you’re not really religious in any way, you can look up to her as just a wonderful person.”
The choir’s conductor, Casimir Käfling, said as a Christian, the tradition of St. Lucy was always part of Christmas for his family.
Students from Nordiska Musikgymnasiet — The Nordic Music High School — in Stockholm perform traditional Swedish “Lucia songs” during an afternoon Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on Dec. 11, 2025. Credit: Bénédicte Cedergren/EWTN NewsHe called it “an incredible honor to be able to sing and conduct” her songs in St. Peter’s Basilica.
Käfling also recalled the darkness Sweden experiences during the winter, especially in the month of December, and said St. Lucy brings light into that darkness.
“The story of St. Lucy really plays with these contrasts of light and dark, and most importantly, hope and despair,” Tota said.
Pope Leo XIV entrusts pontificate to the Virgin of Guadalupe
Vatican City, Dec 12, 2025 / 17:46 pm (CNA).
On Dec. 12, Pope Leo XIV presided over his first Mass on the solemnity of Our Lady of Guadalupe, whom he asked to come to his aid “so that she may confirm in the one true path that leads to the blessed Fruit of your womb all those who have been entrusted to me.”
A large number of the faithful, mostly from the Mexican community residing in Rome as well as clergy and members of the Roman Curia, attended the ceremony held in St. Peter’s Basilica at 4 p.m. local time.
The Holy Father delivered a homily in Spanish in the form of a prayer addressed to the patroness of Mexico and empress of the Americas.
The pontiff recalled that Mary allows the Word of God “to enter her life and transform it,” bringing “that joy wherever human joy is insufficient, wherever the wine has run out.”
For the Holy Father, at Tepeyac, the Virgin Mary “awakens in the inhabitants of America the joy of knowing they are loved by God.” Thus, “amidst ceaseless conflicts, injustices, and sorrows that seek relief,” Mary of Guadalupe proclaims the core of her message: “Am I not here, I who am your mother?”
“It is the voice,” the pope continued, “that echoes the promise of divine fidelity, the presence that sustains us when life becomes unbearable.”
The pope then focused his message on the motherhood of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Before her image, he expressed his desire that the faithful might feel like “true children of yours,” and he asked for her guidance to maintain their faith “when strength fails and shadows grow.”
“Mother, teach the nations that wish to be your children not to divide the world into irreconcilable factions, not to allow hatred to mark their history nor lies to write their memory. Show them that authority must be exercised as service and not as domination. Instruct their leaders in their duty to safeguard the dignity of every person at every stage of life. Make these peoples, your children, places where every person can feel welcome,” he continued.
He also prayed to the Virgin for young people, “that they may obtain from Christ the strength to choose what is good and the courage to remain steadfast in the faith, even when the world pushes them in another direction.” He also prayed that nothing would trouble their hearts and that “they may embrace God’s plans without fear.”
“Protect them from the threats of crime, addiction, and the danger of a meaningless life,” he added.
The Holy Father turned to those who have distanced themselves from the Church and asked the Virgin Mary to bring them “back home” with the power of her love. He also prayed for those who sow discord, asking Mary to restore them to charity.
He also implored Our Lady of Guadalupe to strengthen families and, following her example, to help “parents educate with tenderness and firmness, so that every home may be a school of faith.”
He also asked her to sustain the clergy and consecrated life “in daily fidelity” and to renew their first love. “Guard their inner lives in prayer, protect them from temptation, encourage them in their weariness, and comfort those who are discouraged,” he added.
“Assist us so that we may not tarnish with our sin and misery the holiness of the Church, which, like you, is a mother,” he said.
In his conclusion, the Holy Father asked that the mother “of the true God for whom we live come to the aid of the successor of Peter, so that he may confirm in the one path that leads to the blessed Fruit of your womb all those entrusted to me.”
“Remember this son of yours, ‘to whom Christ entrusted the keys of the kingdom of heaven for the good of all,’ that these keys may serve ‘to bind and loose and to redeem all human misery,’” he said, quoting a 1994 homily by St. John Paul II.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
Pope Leo praises Christian archaeology, capable of ‘bringing to light anonymous holiness’
Vatican City, Dec 12, 2025 / 11:42 am (CNA).
On the centenary of the founding of the Pontifical Institute of Christian Archaeology, Pope Leo XIV published a new apostolic letter in which he praised Christian archaeology as a work capable of “giving a voice to the silence of history” and of “bringing to light the anonymous holiness of many faithful who have contributed to building up the Church.”
“In today’s fast-paced world, there is a tendency to forget and to consume images and words without reflecting on their meaning. The Church, on the other hand, is called to educate people in memory, and Christian archaeology is one of its most noble tools for doing so — not in order to take refuge in the past, but consciously to live in the present and work towards an enduring future,” the pope stated in the document, published on Dec. 11.
This is the third magisterial publication of this kind by Leo XIV in his eight months as pontiff, following “Drawing New Maps of Hope,” a document focused on education, and In Unitate Fidei on the Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, in which he explored the unity of Christians.
For Leo XIV, Christian archaeology allows the Church to “remember its origins” and “recount the history of salvation not only through words but also through images, forms, and spaces.” In a time that “often loses sight of its roots,” it is “a valuable instrument of evangelization.”
Thus, he emphasized that archaeology speaks to believers and nonbelievers, young people, scholars, and pilgrims, because it illuminates the meaning of the journey and evokes an “echo of eternity.”
‘Christianity is not an abstract concept’Each archaeological discovery, he explained, demonstrates that “Christianity is not an abstract concept but rather a body that has lived, celebrated, and inhabited space and time.”
For the Holy Father, archaeology shows that faith “has already survived difficult times and resisted persecution, crises, and changes. Faith has been renewed and regenerated,” and has “flourished in new forms.” Hence, he described it as “a ministry of hope.”
The pope said the discipline allows people to intuit the “power of an existence that transcends time,” to read in burials the “expectation of the Resurrection” and in apses “the orientation toward Christ.”
The pope emphasized that archaeology also plays a decisive role in the theology of revelation, since God “has in time spoken through events and people.” Therefore, understanding revelation requires knowing its historical contexts: Archaeology “illuminates the texts,” he affirmed, and also “completes written sources.”
In the document, the pope distanced himself from any idealization of the past and called for understanding the true history of the Church — made up of “greatness and limitation, holiness and fragility, continuity and rupture” — which will allow for a more authentic theology.
‘Living memory,’ not ‘a cult of the past’Leo XIV warned against a merely conservationist vision of archaeology. “True Christian archaeology is not a matter of sterile conservation but of living memory,” he emphasized after pointing out that Christian archaeology must foster a “reconciled memory” and promote spaces for dialogue.
Likewise, the pope recalled the value of academic communion and cooperation among archaeological institutions, describing this field as “a resource for everyone.”
In affirming the fundamental role of Christian archaeology, the pope underscored that “theological studies that disregard archaeology run the risk of becoming disembodied, abstract, or even ideological.”
According to the pontiff, archaeology not only provides historical data but also allows theology to remain rooted in the concrete reality of the people of God. Thus, he affirmed that a theology that “embraces archaeology ... listens to the body of the Church, assesses its wounds, reads its signs, and is touched by its history.”
In his reflection, Leo XIV highlighted the human and pastoral dimension of archaeological work. He described it as an essentially “hands-on” profession in which researchers “are the first to handle buried material that conserves its vitality even after centuries.”
But the contribution of the Christian archaeologist, Leo XIV added, goes beyond material recovery: “They study not only the artifacts but also the hands that forged them, the minds that conceived them, and the hearts that loved them.”
God has truly entered history, and faith is not a philosophyThe pope recalled that from its origins, the Christian faith was transmitted through the memory of places and signs. “Christian communities safeguarded not only Jesus’ words but also the places, objects, and signs of his presence,” he stated.
Places such as the empty tomb, Peter’s house in Capernaum, and the Roman catacombs not only served as historical testimony but also “all testify that God has truly entered history and that faith is not a mere philosophy but a tangible path within the reality of the world,” the Holy Father wrote.
The pope affirmed that the Church needs to “search for a profound wisdom capable of preserving and passing on to future generations what is truly essential” and emphasized that archaeology has “an essential role in understanding Christianity and, consequently, its application within catechetical and theological formation.”
Citing Pope Francis’ apostolic constitution Veritatis Gaudium, Leo recalled that archaeology is part of the fundamental disciplines of theological formation, because “it does not merely tell us about artifacts but about people: their homes, tombs, churches, and prayers” and about “how faith shaped their spaces, cities, landscapes, and mentalities.”
The pope also emphasized that archaeology “is not just a specialized discipline reserved to a few experts” but rather a path accessible “to anyone who wishes to understand how faith is embodied in time, place, and culture.”
Archaeology as a ‘school of hope’In his view, studying and narrating history helps to keep “the flame of collective conscience” alive. Otherwise, he warned, “all that remains is the personal memory of facts bound to our own interests or sensibilities, with no real connection to the human and ecclesial community in which we live.”
Leo XIV recalled that the Pontifical Institute of Christian Archaeology was established by Pius XI’s motu proprio Primitivi Cemeteri (“Primitive Cemeteries”) of Dec. 11, 1925, with the task “of directing studies on the monuments of ancient Christianity with the utmost scientific rigor” in order to “reconstruct the lives of the early communities.”
The institute has participated in crucial excavations, such as that of the tomb of the apostle Peter beneath the Altar of the Confession in St. Peter’s Basilica, and in recent investigations at St. Paul Outside the Walls.
The pope asked: “How fruitful can the role of Christian archaeology still be for society and the Church in an age marked by artificial intelligence and by the exploration of the innumerable galaxies of the universe?”
He himself offered the answer: Contemporary methods “enable us to glean new information from findings once considered insignificant,” reminding us that “nothing is truly useless or lost.” Even the marginal, he affirmed, can “reveal profound meaning in the light of new questions and methods. In this respect, archaeology is also a school of hope.”
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
Pope warns about risks to Church when intelligence agencies ‘act for nefarious purposes’
Vatican City, Dec 12, 2025 / 09:11 am (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV warned that intelligence agencies in some countries work against the Catholic Church, “oppressing its freedom” by using confidential information for “nefarious purposes.”
In an audience at the Vatican on Friday with people who work in Italy’s intelligence sector, the pope recalled the importance of conducting their jobs both ethically and morally.
“We must be vigilant to ensure that confidential information is not used to intimidate, manipulate, blackmail, or discredit politicians, journalists, or other actors in civil society. All of this also applies to the ecclesial sphere,” he said on Dec. 12.
Speaking in the Hall of Blessings, Leo urged those engaged in national security intelligence work to act with professionalism, to have respect for human dignity, and to engage in ethical communication.
“Security agencies often have to collect information on individuals and therefore have a strong impact on individual rights,” he noted. “It is therefore necessary that limits be established, according to the criterion of human dignity, and that we remain vigilant against the temptations to which a job like yours exposes you.”
The pope urged them to ensure that the protection of national security “always and in all cases guarantees people’s rights, their private and family life, freedom of conscience and information, and the right to a fair trial.”
Leo recalled the massive changes to digital communications in recent decades and warned that the arrival of new and increasingly advanced technologies “offers us greater possibilities but, at the same time, exposes us to constant dangers.”
“The massive and continuous exchange of information requires us to be critically vigilant about certain issues of vital importance: the distinction between truth and fake news, the undue exposure of private life, the manipulation of the most vulnerable, the logic of blackmail, and incitement to hatred and violence,” he said.
Pope Leo XIV, in meeting with award committee, calls for concrete acts of charity
Vatican City, Dec 12, 2025 / 06:52 am (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV urged concrete acts of charity and solidarity in a world marked by conflict as he met with the committee that chooses recipients of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity.
“In a time marked by increased conflict and division, we need authentic testimonies of human kindness and charity to remind us that we are all brothers and sisters. Words are not enough,” the pope told the delegation at the Vatican on Dec. 11.
Leo praised the committee for continuing the legacy of Pope Francis and Grand Imam Ahmad Al-Tayyeb in promoting compassion and fraternity, calling their work a “noble service of human fraternity.”
The Zayed Award for Human Fraternity, named after the late United Arab Emirates president Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, was established following the signing of the Document on Human Fraternity by Pope Francis and Al-Tayyeb during Francis’ 2019 apostolic journey to Abu Dhabi.
“This prize not only embodies the legacy of Sheikh Zayed and these other leaders, it also emphasizes that every human being and every religion is called to promote fraternity,” Leo said.
The pope stressed that ideals must be matched by action, telling the committee that building a society founded on love and respect requires “concrete actions.”
“Remaining in the realm of ideas and theories, while failing to give them expression through frequent and practical acts of charity, will eventually cause even our most cherished hopes and aspirations to weaken and fade away,” he said, quoting his apostolic exhortation Dilexi Te.
Leo encouraged the committee to persevere in its work, expressing confidence that its efforts would “continue to bear fruit for the good of the human family.”
The Zayed Award association has received nominations from individuals and institutions worldwide whose work aims to foster solidarity and human connection across national, ethnic, and religious lines. For its 2026 edition, the award received more than 350 nominations from over 75 countries, with winners to be announced in January.
Award recipients will be honored at a ceremony in Abu Dhabi on Feb. 4, coinciding with the anniversary of the Document on Human Fraternity and the U.N. International Day of Human Fraternity. A $1 million prize will be divided among the winners.
Earlier this week, the Zayed Award delegation met with Grand Imam Ahmad Al-Tayyeb in Cairo.
Pope Leo calls for promoting ‘cultural diplomacy’ to overcome borders and prejudices
Vatican City, Dec 11, 2025 / 18:30 pm (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV on Dec. 11 emphasized the academic, cultural, and ecclesial value of archaeology and called for the promotion of “cultural diplomacy” to overcome borders and prejudices.
Receiving members of the Pontifical Institute of Christian Archaeology in an audience, the pope emphasized that its literary and monumental sources constitute an essential part of the “roots” of European society and nations.
“Take part through your studies in that cultural diplomacy that the world so desperately needs in our day,” the pope urged, addressing the faculty, students, and staff of the center.
To introduce his reflection, he referenced the motu proprio I Primitivi Cemeteri (“Primitive Cemeteries”), published exactly a century ago by Pius XI, in which he emphasized the Church’s responsibility for protecting its sacred heritage.
Pius XI then decided to add a new body to the work of the Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archaeology and the Pontifical Roman Academy of Archaeology: the Pontifical Institute of Christian Archaeology, created to “guide willing young people from all countries and nations toward the study and scientific research of the monuments of Christian antiquity.”
A century later, Leo XIV affirmed, this mission remains fully relevant.
The scientific dignity of Christian archaeologyThe pope took the opportunity to present to those present his new apostolic letter, in which he emphasizes the importance of Christian archaeology. He pointed out that this field, focused on the monuments of the first centuries of Christianity, possesses its own “epistemological status,” with specific “chronological, historical, and thematic coordinates.”
However, he lamented that in some circles it continues to be included without distinction within medieval archaeology.
“In this regard, I suggest that they become upholders of the specificity of their discipline, in which the adjective ‘Christian’ is not intended to be an expression of a confessional perspective but rather a qualifier of the discipline itself with scientific and professional dignity,” he urged.
A bridge to ecumenismLeo XIV emphasized the ecumenical nature of Christian archaeology, alluding to its capacity to recall a time when the Church remained united. Its study, he affirmed, is “a valuable instrument for ecumenism,” as it allows the various Christian traditions to recognize a common heritage.
He also recounted that during his recent apostolic journey to İznik — ancient Nicaea — in Turkey, where he commemorated the 1,700th anniversary of the first ecumenical council with representatives of other churches, he was able to personally witness this reality: “The presence of the remains of ancient Christian buildings was moving and motivating for all of us.”
The pope also welcomed the fact that the institute had dedicated a day of study to the topic, in collaboration with the Dicastery for Evangelization.
The power of ‘cultural diplomacy’For the pope, rigorous study and historical research constitute a privileged way of building bridges: “Through culture, the human spirit transcends the boundaries of nations and overcomes the barriers of prejudice to place itself at the service of the common good. You too can contribute to building bridges, fostering encounters, and nurturing harmony.”
He also noted that the institute is symbolically situated between two major jubilee themes: peace, the central theme of the holy year of 1925, and hope, the focus of the current jubilee. “And, in fact, you are bearers of peace and hope wherever you operate with your excavations and research, so that, recognizing your white and red banner with the image of the Good Shepherd, doors may be opened wide to you not only as bearers of knowledge and science but also as heralds of peace.”
Christianity, the root of EuropeFinally, Leo XIV recalled the words of St. John Paul II on the Christian roots of Europe, remembering his affirmation that the continent “needs Christ and the Gospel, because here lie the roots of all its peoples.”
“Among the roots of European society and nations is undoubtedly Christianity, with its literary and monumental sources; and the work of archaeologists is a response to the call I have just evoked,” he stated.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
Vatican conference: Our Lady of Guadalupe in light of doctrinal note on titles of Mary
Vatican City, Dec 11, 2025 / 16:54 pm (CNA).
“Do not let your heart be troubled. Am I not here, I who am your mother?” With this consolation — with which Our Lady of Guadalupe of Mexico addressed St. Juan Diego in December 1531 — a devotion was kindled that, almost five centuries later, continues to shape the spiritual identity of Mexico and all of the Americas.
That same message, simple and profoundly consoling, still has a singular power today, especially “in the context of war and difficulties in the world we live in today,” said Father Stefano Cecchin, OFM, president of the Pontifical International Marian Academy, in an interview with ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner.
Cecchin will participate on Dec. 12 in an unprecedented gathering organized by the Pontifical Commission for Latin America at the Vatican, a day that will bring together Latin American priests, women religious, and seminarians and will place the figure of Mary — particularly under her title of Our Lady of Guadalupe — at the center of evangelizing reflection.
Guadalupe, a message of closeness and liberationCecchin emphasized that Mary manifested herself with accessible, approachable, and protective language, capable of spreading the Christian message without obscuring the Indigenous identity of the visionary. In fact, he emphasized, “in Guadalupe we encounter the inculturation of God.”
For him, the spiritual core of the Guadalupe event is profoundly liberating: “Mary appears not to frighten, even though it occurs at the end of the Aztec calendar year, but she appears to bring peace and serenity. The message of Guadalupe is that whoever is with Mary should not be afraid.”
Understanding this historical and theological dimension, he added, allows us to perceive its universal impact. “We are trying to raise awareness throughout the world, beyond the countries of Latin America, the Philippines, and Spain. We want everyone to embrace it,” he stated. Cecchin summarized its importance with a powerful image: “For us, Guadalupe is the Sinai of the Americas.”
The comparison is not metaphorical: The people of Israel were born on the Sinai Peninsula, and in Guadalupe, Cecchin continued, “the Christian people of the Americas were born.”
Conference in light of new doctrinal documentThe day at the Vatican is directed toward Latin American priests, women religious, and seminarians studying in Rome. After greetings from Archbishop Filippo Iannone, the president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, will speak, offering a keynote address titled “Mary: Star of Evangelization and the Mission for Latin America Today.”
“This expression has been used many times in Latin America, but we want to reconsider it in light of the teaching of the new doctrinal note on the Virgin Mary that the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith has given us,” Rodrigo Guerra, secretary of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, told ACI Prensa.
Fernández’s presence will be directly linked to the recent publication of the doctrinal note Mater Populi Fidelis, a document that has sparked considerable debate in some quarters by proposing a rereading of popular Mariology and by nuancing traditional devotional titles.
Precisely for this reason, the event on Dec. 12 seeks to offer keys for a serene reception of the document from the perspective of evangelization.
In this regard, Guerra will present a reflection on the doctrinal reception of the figure of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Rome: “I will explain the pleasant surprise we all felt upon discovering that in the recent doctrinal note from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, the topic of Our Lady of Guadalupe is addressed in two paragraphs in order to show in a very eloquent way how popular Marian devotion in Latin America today can offer us some lessons in the face of the challenges of evangelization in Latin America.”
Connection between Mary and synodalityFollowing the prefect’s lecture, a discussion with the participants will take place, followed by an academic panel with three brief presentations. The first will be given by Cecchin, who will address Our Lady of Guadalupe’s contribution to a balanced Mariology.
Afterward, Bishop Luis Marín de San Martín, undersecretary of the Synod of Bishops, will speak to explore deeper the connection between Mary and synodality: a theme that the universal synodal process has highlighted in recent years. He explained to ACI Prensa that when we recognize Mary’s role in ecclesial life and in the devotion of the faithful, “the real need arises to delve deeper into the Marian mystery in order to better understand the synodal and missionary Church.”
He also pointed out that the figure of Mary is “fundamental” in the recovery of women’s identity and their value in the Church. “In her we find the perfect example of a Christian, a disciple. Always prophetically engaged with reality,” the Spanish prelate explained.
The day will conclude with a presentation by Guerra, secretary of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.
The date — Dec. 12 — is not accidental: It coincides with the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the anniversary of the episcopal ordination of Pope Leo XIV. “That is why we thought this day was a good occasion for us to meet with all the students and friends from Latin America… to take a look at how Mary challenges us and offers us new reasons to rethink evangelization and mission in Latin America today,” Guerra said.
Following the conference, Mass in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe will take place at 4 p.m. local time in St. Peter’s Basilica, celebrated by Pope Leo XIV. It will be one of the first significant gestures of the new pope toward the Latin American community residing in Rome.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
Pope Leo XIV criticizes transhumanism: ‘Death is not opposed to life’
Vatican City, Dec 10, 2025 / 11:21 am (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday rejected technological promises to indefinitely prolong human existence — such as those proposed by “transhumanism”— and said the resurrection of Christ “reveals to us that death is not opposed to life.”
Speaking on a cold morning in St. Peter’s Square Dec. 10, the pontiff warned that numerous current anthropological visions “promise immanent immortality [and] theorize the prolongation of earthly life through technology.”
That outlook, he said, is characteristic of “the transhumance scenario,” a phenomenon that “is making its way into the horizon of the challenges of our time.”
In response, Leo urged people to consider two central questions: “Could death really be defeated by science? But then, could science itself guarantee us that a life without death is also a happy life?”
The Holy Father explained that death and life are not opposed, and that in the Christian meaning, death is “a constitutive part of [life], as the passage to eternal life.”
“The Pasch of Jesus gives us a foretaste, in this time still full of suffering and trials, of the fullness of what will happen after death,” he added.
Thailand-Cambodia border clashesAt the end of his audience, Pope Leo spoke out against violent clashes at the border of Thailand and Cambodia, saying he was “deeply saddened by the news of the escalation of the conflict.”
The hostilities have injured more than 100 people and displaced thousands of people in both countries. An estimated 13 people, including civilians, have been killed as the fighting entered the third day on Wednesday.
“I express my closeness in prayer to these beloved populations and I ask the parties to immediately cease fire and resume dialogue,” the pope said.
Death, ‘a great teacher of life’In his catechesis for the general audience, Leo XIV noted that throughout history, “many ancient peoples developed rites and customs linked to the cult of the dead, to accompany and to recall those who journeyed towards the supreme mystery.” But today, death “seems to be a sort of taboo” and “something to be spoken of in hushed tones, to avoid disturbing our sensibilities and our tranquility.”
The pope lamented that this attitude often leads people to avoid visiting cemeteries.
He also evoked the teachings of St. Alphonsus Liguori, recalling the enduring relevance of the saint’s work, “Preparation for Death.” The pontiff emphasized that, for the saint, death is “a great teacher of life,” capable of guiding the believer toward what is essential.
As the pope explained, St. Alphonsus invited people to “to know that [death] exists, and above all to reflect on it” as a way to discern what is truly important in life.
Leo also recalled that, in Alphonsian spirituality, prayer holds a central place “to understand what is beneficial in view of the kingdom of heaven, and letting go of the superfluous that instead binds us to ephemeral things.”
From this perspective, he asserted that only the resurrection of Christ “is capable of illuminating the mystery of death to its full extent.”
“In this light, and only in this, what our heart desires and hopes becomes true: that death is not the end, but the passage towards full light, towards a happy eternity,” he said.
The pope explained that the risen Christ “has gone before us in the great trial of death, emerging victorious thanks to the power of divine Love.”
“He has prepared for us the place of eternal rest, the home where we are awaited; he has given us the fullness of life in which there are no longer any shadows and contradictions,” Leo said.
This story was originally published by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
Pontifical Yearbook goes digital: What is it and what does it contain?
Vatican City, Dec 10, 2025 / 11:00 am (CNA).
The Vatican this week launched the first-ever digital version of its annual directory, creating an easier way to find reliable and up-to-date information about the Church’s structures and members all around the world.
The red-covered Pontifical Yearbook — known in Italian as the “Annuario Pontificio” — is an important reference updated every year with Church statistics, the names and contacts of bishops, information about the departments of the Holy See, and more.
The Pontifical Yearbook, in its current form, started in the early 20th century, though other versions of a book with information about the Catholic hierarchy and the Roman Curia can be traced to the 18th century or earlier.
The 2025 edition of the Annuario Pontificio, also called the Pontifical Yearbook. Credit: EWTN News.The biggest benefits to users are the ability to easily search for information and the possibility for updates to be reflected in real time.
Before now, to keep the directory current, one would have to cut out and glue periodic updates from the Vatican into the hardback book.
The directory includes global data that is frequently changing, including statistics about Catholic dioceses and missions, and information about bishops, the members of the Church, the number of priests and religious, and the Holy See’s diplomatic representation.
It also contains information about the pope and cardinals, and lists the people who lead the many different entities that make up the Roman Curia and the Vatican.
Screenshot of the homepage of the digital version of the Pontifical Yearbook.On Dec. 8, the Vatican’s Secretariat of State, which is responsible for publishing the Pontifical Yearbook, unveiled the digital version, available in both web and app versions for an annual subscription of 68,10 euros ($79.20), around the same price as a printed version, which is still being published.
The Vatican said in time it intends to offer the directory in languages other than Italian, “making it more accessible to a growing number of users around the world.”
At a presentation of the project, Pope Leo XIV had a chance to receive a first lesson in how the digital yearbook works. He thanked those involved, calling it “a wonderful service which will be of great help.”
The pope urges ‘continued dialogue’ after receiving Zelenskyy in Castel Gandolfo
Vatican City, Dec 9, 2025 / 14:32 pm (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV received the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in audience today at the papal residence in Castel Gandolfo, the Holy See announced in a statement.
The meeting, described as "cordial," focused on the situation of the war in Ukraine and the prospects for the diplomatic initiatives currently underway.
During the conversation, the Holy Father reiterated “the need to continue the dialogue” and renewed his “pressing desire” that diplomatic efforts might lead to “a just and lasting peace,” according to the statement released by the Vatican.
The meeting also addressed particularly sensitive humanitarian issues. During the discussions, reference was made to the “prisoners of war” situation and the urgency of “guaranteeing the return” of Ukrainian children separated from their families and illegally deported to Russia was emphasized.
Following the private audience, Zelenskyy expressed his “profound gratitude” to Pope Leo XIV for the Holy See's constant support for the Ukrainian people.
In a message posted on his social media after the meeting, Zelenskyy expressed particular gratitude for the humanitarian aid. During the audience, he said he thanked the pope for "his constant prayers for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people, as well as his calls for a just peace."
The Ukrainian president also informed the pope about the diplomatic contacts and negotiations that Kyiv is conducting with the United States to pave the way for peace. "I informed the pope about the diplomatic efforts with the United States to achieve peace," he said.
One of the central points of the conversation was the fate of the Ukrainian children illegally deported to Russian territory. Zelenskyy emphasized that they discussed “future actions and the Vatican's mediation aimed at securing the return of our children kidnapped by Russia,” an issue that the Holy See has kept on its humanitarian agenda since the first months of the conflict.
The Ukrainian president emphasized that the meeting was “an important and cordial dialogue,” focused on the protection of the civilian population and the spiritual support that the pontiff has repeatedly shown.
Zelenskyy took the opportunity to renew a formal invitation to the pope to travel to Ukraine. “I invited the pope to visit Ukraine. It would be a powerful sign of support for our people,” he said.
The audience took place a day after Zelenskyy traveled to the United Kingdom, where he held a meeting at Downing Street with the country's prime minister, Keir Starmer, which was also attended by the president of France, Emmanuel Macron, and the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz.
That meeting focused on negotiations surrounding the peace plan and next steps for Ukraine presented by Washington. The first 28-point draft presented by the Trump administration in November proposed a resolution to the conflict that was largely favorable to Moscow.
That proposal was followed by another put together in Geneva by delegations from the United States, Ukraine, and Europe.
Zelenskyy arrived in Castel Gandolfo on Tuesday, Dec. 9, after three days of talks in Miami between Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and the Ukrainian negotiator, Rustem Umerov.
Exactly one week ago, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Witkoff in Moscow without any significant progress.
This is the third official meeting between the two, after Leo XIV received Zelenskyy in an audience following the Mass marking the beginning of his pontificate on May 18, and in a second meeting on July 9, also in Castel Gandolfo. Pope Leo usually takes Tuesday every week as a day off at Castel Gandolfo.
Following today’s meeting with the pope, Zelenskyy was scheduled to meet with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni as part of a new round of contacts with key European leaders regarding the peace process in Ukraine.
Ukraine first requested the Vatican's intervention shortly after the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022. Since then, the Holy See has continued its diplomatic efforts for peace, while maintaining open channels of dialogue with all parties involved.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
Former Hungarian ambassador reflects on 10-year term at the Vatican
Vatican City, Dec 9, 2025 / 10:30 am (CNA).
Archduke of Austria Eduard Habsburg, who served as Hungary’s ambassador to the Holy See since 2015, described his post at the Vatican as “the greatest 10 years of my life.”
Shortly before his farewell meeting with Pope Leo XIV on Nov. 21, Habsburg told EWTN News reporter Colm Flynn that after a decade on the job, he has “seen it all” and now wants to dedicate more time to his family, particularly his parents.
“I felt that 10 years is a good term. It’s far longer than ambassadors usually have here,” he said in the exclusive interview.
“I think I’ve seen everything you can see here, including a conclave, visits by my prime minister, exciting moments,” he added. “In a way, I’m going to miss it but also family is important.”
The former ambassador, whose term at the Vatican ended on Nov. 30, said he will likely continue to represent Hungary at future international events organized by the Church and pro-family groups.
“I’ll keep a foot in that world, so to speak, so I’m not going to totally give it up,” he said.
Reflecting on his initial surprise at being asked to be Hungary’s ambassador to the Holy See, Habsburg, who belongs to the prominent 850-year-old European Catholic dynasty, said he “hit the floor running” when he arrived in Rome for his first post.
On Pope Francis and his love for HungaryDescribing his relationship with Pope Francis as “incredibly positive,” the former ambassador said the Argentine pontiff had a warm affection for the Central European nation and its people.
“I saw it every time he met a Hungarian,” he said. “He would use Hungarian expressions. He would smile. He would be happy. He would take his time with them.”
Though Pope Francis had not visited Hungary until 2021 for the 52nd International Eucharistic Conference, he told Habsburg that he “learned everything” about Hungary through three religious sisters who fled their country in 1956, during the Soviet occupation, to a monastery in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
“They have shaped Pope Francis’ outlook on Hungary and that made my work very easy,” he quipped. “He was incredibly generous.”
Pope Francis visited Hungary a second time in 2023 for his apostolic journey to the country’s capital of Budapest from April 28–30.
On Pope Benedict XVI and his humorDuring the 1990s, Pope Benedict XVI, then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, read Habsburg’s doctoral thesis on the topic of Thomas Aquinas and Vatican II and told him “he liked it” and that he wanted him to either make a documentary or a thriller about Thomism.
After first meeting with Pope Francis, the former ambassador said he later met with Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in the Vatican Gardens.
“He looked at me and said, ‘So you’re ambassador now?’” Habsburg recalled. “And then he said, ‘You know you still owe me a documentary or a thriller about Thomism.”
“That was the first thing he said. I was so blown away,” he said. “I still haven’t written it.”
“That’s the one thing many people don’t realize about Pope Benedict XVI was the sense of humor that he had that we never got to see publicly,” he said.
Habsburg earned a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt in 1999.
On Pope Leo XIVThe archduke told EWTN News he had briefly met Pope Leo XIV four times prior to his farewell visit to the pontiff on Nov. 21.
“I’m very impressed by him. I feel [he is] a very balanced and just man who is trying to do good,” he said of the first U.S.-born pope.
Noting Pope Leo’s fluency in many languages, including English, Italian, Spanish, and Latin, Habsburg commented that he believes the universal Church’s new leader “has several cultures in his heart and in his mind.”
“And yes, we will see the things that he’ll do. We pray for him every day,” he said.
Watch the full interview with Eduard Habsburg on the EWTN News YouTube channel.
On solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, pope encourages renewing our ‘yes’ to God
ACI Prensa Staff, Dec 8, 2025 / 13:30 pm (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV led the Angelus prayer Dec. 8 from the window of the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican on the occasion of the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.
Addressing the faithful and pilgrims in attendance in St. Peter’s Square, the pontiff commented that on Dec. 8 we express our joy because the Father of heaven wanted her to be “preserved immune from all stain of original sin.”
“The Lord has granted to Mary the extraordinary grace of a completely pure heart, in view of an even greater miracle: the coming of Christ the Savior,” he added.
The pope also noted that the gift of the fullness of grace in the young woman of Nazareth “was able to bear fruit because she in her freedom welcomed it, embracing the plan of God.”
He emphasized that “the Lord always acts in this way: He gives us great gifts, but he leaves us free to accept them or not.”
For the Holy Father, this feast also invites us to “believe as she believed, giving our generous assent to the mission to which the Lord calls us.”
In this way, he pointed out that the miracle that happened for Mary at her conception was “renewed for us in baptism: Cleansed from original sin, we have become children of God, his dwelling place and the temple of the Holy Spirit.”
“The ‘yes’ of the mother of the Lord is wonderful, but so also can ours be, renewed faithfully each day, with gratitude, humility, and perseverance, in prayer and in concrete acts of love, from the most extraordinary gestures to the most mundane and ordinary efforts and acts of service. In this way, Christ can be known, welcomed, and loved everywhere and salvation can come to everyone,” he emphasized.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
‘Peace is possible,’ Pope Leo XIV says after visits to Turkey and Lebanon
Vatican City, Dec 7, 2025 / 09:00 am (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV on Sunday said his apostolic journey to Turkey and Lebanon showed that “peace is possible,” pointing to renewed steps toward Christian unity and powerful encounters with the Lebanese people still seeking justice after the 2020 Beirut port explosion.
Speaking after the Angelus to pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square on Dec. 7, the pope recalled praying in İznik, ancient Nicaea, with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, considered first among equals among Eastern Orthodox bishops, and representatives of other Christian communities on the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea.
Marking Sunday’s 60th anniversary of the “Common Declaration” between Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras, Leo said: “We give thanks to God and renew our dedication to journeying towards the full visible unity of all Christians.”
In Lebanon, the pope said he encountered a “mosaic of coexistence” and met people who serve the most vulnerable by welcoming refugees, visiting the imprisoned, and sharing food with those in need. He was especially moved by meeting relatives of the victims of the Beirut port blast. “The Lebanese people were waiting for a word and a presence of consolation, but it was they who comforted me with their faith and their enthusiasm,” he said.
The pope also expressed closeness to communities in south and southeast Asia struck by recent natural disasters, praying for victims and urging international solidarity.
Earlier, in his Advent catechesis before the Angelus, Pope Leo reflected on John the Baptist’s call to prepare the way of the Lord. John’s severe tone, he said, still resonates because it carries God’s “plea to take life seriously” and to ready the heart for the God who judges “not by appearance, but by deeds and intentions.”
The pope said the kingdom manifests itself gently, in the meekness and mercy of Christ described by Isaiah as a shoot rising from a seemingly dead tree trunk. He linked this surprising newness to the spirit of the Second Vatican Council, which closed 60 years ago and continues to guide the Church on its journey toward unity and renewal.
“This is the spirituality of Advent, very luminous and concrete,” he said. “The streetlights remind us that each of us can be a little light, if we welcome Jesus, the shoot of a new world.”
You heard of the popemobile, now meet the papal lawn mower
Rome Newsroom, Dec 7, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).
The Vatican’s gardeners have a new tool for maintaining the papal grounds: a custom-designed electric lawn mower bearing the Holy See’s coat of arms.
Pope Leo XIV received the white Electra 2.0 mower during a general audience in mid-November, a gift from Czech manufacturer Swardman.
The specially commissioned model features leather-lined handles and was hand-assembled at the company’s facility in Šardice, Czech Republic. “It was an incredibly powerful experience full of humility and respect,” Jakub Dvořák, the company’s sales manager who personally presented the gift, told CNA. “The pontiff appreciated the Vatican’s coat of arms placed on the appliance, listened with interest as we explained how it functions, and thanked us very politely.”
The quiet, precision-cutting mower is destined for use in the Vatican Gardens or possibly at the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, according to a press release from the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which facilitated the presentation.
Founded in 2013, the company manufactures lawn care equipment that it describes as combining functionality with “timeless elegance” suited to historic settings. The Czech Embassy to the Holy See played a key role in arranging the gift, which Dvořák called “a moment of unmistakable magic.”
Vatican gardeners will put the electric mower to work maintaining the manicured lawns that provide green respite within the world’s smallest state.
Chris Pratt to release documentary on tomb of St. Peter
CNA Staff, Dec 6, 2025 / 12:00 pm (CNA).
American actor Chris Pratt, best known for his roles in “Guardians of the Galaxy” and “Jurassic World,” is currently filming a documentary on the Vatican Necropolis, which lies underneath Vatican City containing tombs dating from the first to fourth century A.D., at depths varying between 16 and 39 feet below St. Peter’s Basilica.
The film, which is being produced by Vatican Media, the Fabric of St. Peter, and AF Films, will be released in 2026 for the 400th anniversary of the inauguration and dedication of the basilica.
Pratt will guide viewers on a journey to discover the tomb of St. Peter through stories of faith, history, and archaeology.
“It is an extraordinary honor to partner with Pope Leo and the Vatican on this project. St. Peter’s story is foundational to the Christian faith, and I’m deeply grateful for the trust and access granted to help bring his legacy to the screen,” Pratt told Vatican News in an interview.
nullWhile Pratt is not Catholic, he and his wife, Katherine Schwarzenegger, a practicing Catholic, attend Mass regularly and are raising their children Catholic. Pratt speaks openly about his faith and the importance he places on praying daily. He has also partnered with Hallow, a Catholic prayer and meditation app, on multiple occasions and been featured in its Lent, Advent, and daily prayer challenges.
Through historical evidence and archaeological discoveries, viewers of the new film are invited to discover St. Peter’s burial place in the Vatican Necropolis, which was officially announced by Pope Pius XII in 1950.
In 1939, Pope Pius XII had workers begin excavations under the basilica in order to try to find the location of the beloved apostle’s burial place. In 1950, the pope officially announced that the location of the tomb was found, along with bone fragments likely belonging to the saint. In 1968, Pope Paul VI announced that the bone fragments found were indeed those of St. Peter.
St. Peter’s bones were publicly displayed for the first time in 2013 by Pope Francis. The late pontiff held the relics during a Mass at St. Peter’s Square, which marked the end of the Church’s Year of Faith.
Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated in the second to last paragraph that Pius XII was the pope in 1968. It has been corrected to say Paul VI. (Published Dec. 8, 2025)
New Slovak Virgin Mary mosaic highlights spiritual bonds between Slovakia and Vatican
EWTN News, Dec 6, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).
Just before the feast of the Immaculate Conception, a mosaic of Our Lady of Sorrows, protectress of Slovakia, was inaugurated in the Vatican Gardens. Archbishop Bernard Bober of Košice, president of the Slovak Bishops’ Conference, blessed the artwork during a ceremony attended by Slovak President Peter Pellegrini, whom Pope Leo XIV received in audience the day before.
Among other bishops and diplomats, two cardinals took part: the dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Re, and Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches.
Slovak President Peter Pellegrini and Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti unveil the new Slovak Our Lady of Sorrows mosaic in the Vatican Gardens on Dec. 5, 2025. Credit: Bohumil PetríkThe Slovak president said he was happy to see the Slovak Virgin Mary image inside the Vatican as she “is a source of hope, faith, and unity.” Pellegrini stressed that his Central European country and the Holy See “share common values, such as the dignity of human person, true liberty, and open dialogue.”
During the audience with Pope Leo XIV, the Vatican said, pontiff and president reaffirmed their commitment to supporting social cohesion, promoting justice, and safeguarding the family, and discussed the war in Ukraine, its impact on European security, and the situation in the Middle East.
Each time people pass by this beautiful artwork, Gugerotti underlined in his speech at the inauguration, “we will pray for the Slovak people” who suffered during atheist communism, and yet “were able to maintain and renew its Christian roots.”
Likewise, Re told CNA that he is very happy for the new artwork. “I have always loved Slovakia because it is still very Catholic,” the prelate said.
It is a great honor for Slovakian Catholics that the mosaic of Our Lady of Sorrows has reached the heart of the Church, Bober underscored. The Slovak Virgin Mary is “a symbol of the spiritual connection between Slovakia and the Vatican.” It reminds the faithful, the archbishop continued, that “Our Lady of Sorrows has a special place in our nation, but also in the lives of all believers.”
The colorful mosaic, created by Greek Catholic priest and artist Father Kamil Dráb, is a copy of an image in the chapel of the Pontifical Slovak College of St. Cyril and Methodius in Rome and has been installed in the Vatican Gardens near the bell used during the Great Jubilee of 2000.
5 things to know and share about St. Nicholas
Vatican City, Dec 6, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA).
St. Nicholas, whose feast day is celebrated on Dec. 6, is known to possibly be the real-life inspiration for the beloved Christmas character of Santa Claus.
Not a lot is known about the historical Nicholas, who was bishop of Myra, a Greek city in modern-day Turkey, during the fourth century A.D. But there are many stories and legends that explain his reputation as a just and upright man, charitable gift-giver, and miracle-worker.
Here are five things to know and share about St. Nicholas:
1. There is a legend behind why St. Nicholas is the patron saint of children.Many people know that St. Nicholas is the patron saint of children, but they may not know why he has that title.
There is a grisly legend that says that during a famine in Myra, three young boys were lured into a butcher’s shop, where they were killed and then brined in a wooden barrel with the intention of being sold as “ham.” The good bishop worked a miracle, bringing the pickled children back to life and saving them from a gruesome fate.
Painting by Gentile da Fabriano, who lived in Italy from c. 1370 to 1427. Credit: Public domainThis story became the subject of many portrayals of Nicholas in art, especially during the Middle Ages. Some people believe depictions of Bishop Nicholas with the three boys led to his reputation as a protector of children.
The legend of the brining may explain how he also became, oddly, the patron saint of brewers and coopers (people who make wooden casks, barrels, vats, troughs, and similar containers from timber).
2. He is one of the foremost saints in the Russian Orthodox Church.St. Nicholas is a unifying figure among Catholics and Orthodox Christians since both churches venerate him.
He is incredibly important in the Russian Orthodox Church, where he is known as St. Nicholas the Wonderworker for the many miracles attributed to him both during and after his life.
To the Orthodox, Nicholas is principally honored for his qualities as a holy bishop and a good shepherd of his people.
Also, in their weekly liturgical cycle, which dedicates different days of the week to Jesus Christ and other saints, only three are specifically named: Mary, the Mother of God; John the Forerunner (known to Catholics as St. John the Baptist); and St. Nicholas.
Nicholas did not leave behind any theological writings, but when he was made a bishop, he is credited with saying that “this dignity and this office demand different usage, in order that one should live no longer for oneself but for others.”
3. Was he really jolly ol’ St. Nicholas?Because of his popularity among Orthodox Christians, St. Nicholas is a favorite subject in iconography.
But don’t be surprised if, among the hundreds of icons depicting him, you don’t see any merry dimples or a “round little belly.” He does have a white beard, though.
An icon of St. Nicholas painted in 1294 for a Russian Orthodox church on Lipno Island in northwestern Russia. Credit: Public domain4. He is the patron saint of unmarried people, fishermen, pawnbrokers, and the falsely accused.One of the most popular legends about Nicholas is that the saint, who is said to have come from a wealthy family, secretly helped a poor man with three daughters.
The father could not provide proper dowries for the girls to marry, and without husbands to support them, they might have been forced to turn to prostitution.
After learning about the situation, Nicholas secretly slipped a bag of gold coins through the family’s window while they were sleeping. He later left a second bag of coins, and likewise, another bag for the third daughter, at which point, the legend says, the father, who had waited up all night, “caught” Nicholas red-handed in his gift-giving. But Nicholas made him promise to keep the secret.
The story is likely the explanation for why the modern Christmas character of Santa Claus brings his gifts for children under the cover of night.
In artworks referencing this legend, the three bags of coins are often depicted as three golden balls. Images of gold balls were also used to mark the shops of pawnbrokers, which is probably how Nicholas came to be their patron saint, too.
A painting of St. Nicholas and Mary Magdalene by Antonello da Messina, created between 1475 and 1476. Credit: Public domainOne of many miracles attributed to St. Nicholas happened at sea as he traveled aboard a boat to the Holy Land. Nicholas is a patron saint of sailors and travelers because he calmed the stormy waters that threatened their lives.
His patronage of the falsely accused can be attributed to an early story about his rescue of three innocent men moments before their execution. It is said that St. Nicholas, then bishop of Myra, boldly pushed away the executioner’s sword, released the men from their chains, and angrily reprimanded a juror who had taken a bribe to find them guilty.
5. He has two feast days.Most people know that Nicholas’ feast day is celebrated on Dec. 6, the day he died in the year 343, but for East Slavs, as well as the people of Bari, Italy, May 9 is also an important day to celebrate the saint.
That date is the anniversary of the day that St. Nicholas’ relics were moved from Myra, in present-day Turkey, to Bari, not long after the Great Schism of Catholics and Orthodox in 1054 A.D.
Accounts differ over whether the transmission of the relics was theft or an attempt by Christian sailors to preserve the saint’s remains from destruction by the Turks. But whatever the real reason, the relics can still be venerated today in the Basilica of St. Nicholas in Bari.
Pope Francis visited Bari, in Italy’s southern region of Puglia, two times during his papacy. During both the 2018 and 2020 visits, he stopped in the basilica’s crypt to venerate St. Nicholas’ relics.
Credit: Perrant via Wikimedia Commons CC BY 3.0The pontifical basilica is an important place of ecumenism, since the Catholic Church welcomes many Eastern Catholics and Orthodox Christians to the pilgrimage site. In the crypt, where St. Nicholas is buried, there is also an altar for the celebration of Orthodox and Eastern Catholic liturgies.
For Christians who follow the Julian calendar, as the Eastern Orthodox do, St. Nicholas’ principal feast day falls on Dec. 19. An Orthodox Divine Liturgy is usually celebrated at the Basilica of St. Nicholas that morning.
On Dec. 6, Catholics in Bari celebrate the beloved saint with Mass, concerts, and a procession of the saint’s statue through the city’s streets.
This story was first published on Dec. 6, 2022, and has been updated.
Pope Leo XIV among the most viewed and searched on Wikipedia and Google in 2025
ACI Prensa Staff, Dec 5, 2025 / 15:38 pm (CNA).
The profile of Pope Leo XIV is among the most viewed pages on the digital encyclopedia Wikipedia, and his names — both the one he took upon beginning his pontificate on May 8 and his given name, Robert Francis Prevost — are among the most searched terms globally on Google during 2025.
The Wikimedia Foundation, which supports Wikipedia, presented on Dec. 2 its list of “most read articles” in English. Pope Leo XIV in English holds fifth place.
Wikimedia highlighted that one of the deaths that had the biggest impact during 2025 was that of Pope Francis, whom they remembered as “the first Latin American to become pope” who “served as pope for 12 years before passing away” on April 21.
“The Catholic Church selected his successor, Pope Leo XIV, a few weeks later. As people rushed online to learn about Leo, traffic to all Wikimedia projects peaked at around 800,000 hits per second, more than six times over normal traffic levels and a new all-time record for us,” the foundation noted.
“Plenty of people also came to learn more about Francis’ life, too,” it added, noting that his English Wikipedia page ranks 11th among the most read pages this year.
Wikipedia, which defines itself as “a free online encyclopedia written and maintained by a community of volunteers, known as Wikipedians, through open collaboration and the wiki software MediaWiki,” is one of the most visited websites in the world. According to Statista, in 2025 it ranked fifth, just behind Google, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.
Leo XIV and his election: Search trends in 2025Near the end of the year, the search engine Google also released its list of trends, “Year in Search 2025.” In its “people” section, Pope Leo XIV ranked fifth worldwide, and among news searches, the election of the new pope ranked fourth.
In the United States, his native country, Pope Leo XIV ranked fifth among trending people searches. The election of the new pope was in seventh place among trending news searches, while Pope Francis ranked seventh on the list of searches for those who died in 2025.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
Michael Bublé calls meeting Pope Leo XIV ‘one of the greatest moments of my life’
Vatican City, Dec 5, 2025 / 15:08 pm (CNA).
Michael Bublé called meeting Pope Leo XIV on Friday “one of the greatest moments of my life,” adding that as he prepares to headline the Vatican’s annual Christmas concert for the poor, he hopes his example will encourage more people to speak openly about their faith.
The Grammy-winning singer, known for his velvety voice and popular Christmas albums, said faith “changes everything in my life, every single interaction.”
“When you say that you have strong faith, this is shocking to people, which is sometimes hard for me to understand,” Bublé said in response to a question from CNA at a Vatican press conference on Dec. 5.
“And with the platform I have, my hope is that … there’s a young person who might listen to me today who might be afraid to share their faith or to be open about it, and they look at me and they say, ‘Wow, look at Bublé. He’s not afraid to share it,’ and maybe it will give them the strength to do the same.”
Michael Bublé speaks at the Vatican on Dec. 5, 2025, about preparing to sing "Ave Maria" for Pope Leo at the upcoming Christmas concert for the poor at the Vatican. Credit: Courtney Mares/CNABublé met Pope Leo XIV on Friday along with other artists participating in the Vatican’s sixth annual “Concert with the Poor” on Saturday, Dec. 6.
“I am overwhelmed,” Bublé said. “This morning, I had the opportunity to meet the Holy Father. For me, this was something that I knew was going to be one of the greatest moments of my life.”
This year marks the first time a pope will attend the Vatican concert, which is free and offered to 3,000 people in need served by volunteer organizations around Rome. They will receive a hot takeaway dinner and other necessities after the event.
“We know that times are difficult for many people, and there’s a lot of darkness,” Bublé said. I feel like when you have faith, you have your own pilot light. And the lights can go out everywhere, everywhere, but if you have that faith and you have that light inside you, you can find your way.”
I asked Michael Bublé about how his faith at a Vatican press conference today and this was his response: pic.twitter.com/WF80pnhNzf
— Courtney Mares (@catholicourtney) December 5, 2025
The Canadian singer told EWTN News after the press conference that it was especially meaningful to introduce the pontiff to his mother, who was his childhood catechism teacher.
“A lot of people won’t know, but I was raised in the Catholic Church, and my mother was my catechism teacher,” said Bublé, who has noted in previous interviews that he does not identify with a particular organized religion.
“Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Christ and the sacrifice that allows all of us to have an eternal life,” Bublé said, describing how music is central to his spiritual life.
“Music is a gift from God,” he said. “I talk to so many people today about what a gift from God music is.”
Grammy-winning singer Michael Bublé , known for his velvety voice and popular Christmas albums, said faith “changes everything in my life, every single interaction.” He met Pope Leo XIV on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at the Vatican. Credit: Joshua MellinBublé noted that “Silent Night” and “Adeste Fideles” are among his favorite Christmas hymns.
He said that he asked the pope for specific song requests for the concert, which will feature selections Pope Leo enjoys. One of them is “Ave Maria,” a piece not normally in Bublé’s repertoire. He acknowledged feeling “a bit nervous” to perform it before the pope and was coaxed into offering reporters a brief a cappella preview during the press conference.
The concert will also feature the choir of the Diocese of Rome, the Nuova Opera Orchestra, and Catholic composer Monsignor Marco Frisina. Past editions of the concert have been conducted by composers Hans Zimmer and Ennio Morricone.
“Before every show … I say, ‘Thank you, God, for giving me the ability to connect with these beautiful souls,’” Bublé said.
How can AI serve the common good and not just the powerful? Pope Leo XIV responds
ACI Prensa Staff, Dec 5, 2025 / 14:38 pm (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV reflected Dec. 5 at the Vatican on the challenges posed by artificial intelligence during a meeting with members of the Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice Foundation and participants in the Strategic Alliance of Catholic Research Universities.
In his address, the Holy Father pointed out that artificial intelligence affects certain essential characteristics of the human person, “such as critical thinking, discernment, learning, and interpersonal relationships.”
For the pontiff, this has a real impact “on the lives of millions of people, every day and in every part of the world.”
“How can we ensure that the development of artificial intelligence truly serves the common good and is not just used to accumulate wealth and power in the hands of a few?” he then asked.
To answer this question, the pope urged deeper reflection on “what it means to be human in this moment of history” — that is, those who are called to be collaborators in the work of creation and not simply “passive consumers of content generated by artificial technology.”
“Our dignity,” he added, “lies in our ability to reflect, choose freely, love unconditionally, and enter into authentic relationships with others.”
He also emphasized that this technology raises “serious concerns about its possible repercussions on humanity’s openness to truth and beauty, and capacity for wonder and contemplation.”
Consequently, he noted that “recognizing and safeguarding what characterizes the human person and guarantees his or her balanced growth is essential for establishing an adequate framework for managing the consequences of artificial intelligence.”
Leo XIV mentioned his concern about the vulnerability of children and young people in this new reality, where their freedom and spirituality are at stake, as well as their intellectual and neurological development.
Therefore, he warned that “the ability to access vast amounts of data and information should not be confused with the ability to derive meaning and value from it.”
In this context, he emphasized that “it will therefore be essential to teach young people to use these tools with their own intelligence, ensuring that they open themselves to the search for truth, a spiritual and fraternal life, broadening their dreams and the horizons of their decision-making.”
He also emphasized the need to “restore and strengthen their confidence in the human ability to guide the development of these technologies. It is a confidence that today is increasingly eroded by the paralyzing idea that its development follows an inevitable path.”
Finally, the Holy Father affirmed that these objectives can only be achieved through “widespread participation that gives everyone the opportunity to be heard with respect, even the most humble.”
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.