Vatican News

A total of 72 young people from the Gaza Strip arrived in Rome this week to continue their academic studies at various universities across the city, an opportunity that opens up for them a hopeful path amidst the tragedy of war.Their arrival in the Italian capital was made possible thanks to an initiative promoted by ... read more

The traditionalist Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) addressed Pope Leo XIV this week with a statement of faith it called “the minimum necessary to be in communion with the Church.”In an introduction to the “Declaration of Catholic Faith” — published May 14 on the society’s website — the SSPX said that for more than ... read more

Pope Leo XIV spoke by phone with Tawadros II, the Coptic patriarch of Alexandria, on May 15. The conversation marked the 13th Day of Friendship between Copts and Catholics.The Vatican said that the discussion between the two took place in a “cordial and fraternal atmosphere,” and that they expressed the mutual desire to “overcome any ... read more

Pope Leo XIV visited Rome’s public La Sapienza University on Thursday, the largest university in Europe and one of Italy’s most prestigious academic institutions, where he denounced the “great lie” he said is causing anxiety and depression among young people.Speaking in the university’s Aula Magna after a brief moment of prayer in the “Divina Sapienza” ... read more

Pope Leo XIV appointed Father Emilio Biosca Agüero, OFM Cap, as the third bishop of Venice, Florida, on May 13. The Capuchin Franciscan priest has been pastor of the Shrine of the Sacred Heart in Washington, D.C., since 2018 and served for more than 20 years as a missionary in Papua New Guinea and Cuba.The ... read more

In an unexpected gesture as he was greeting people at the general audience in St. Peterʼs Square on Wednesday, Pope Leo XIV stopped at the exact spot where, 45 years ago, St. John Paul II was shot in an assassination attempt.Leo got out of the vehicle and remained in silence to pray before the white ... read more

The Vatican has called on religious leaders around the world to take an active role in promoting peace and urged them not to become “complicit through silence or fear” in the face of those who fuel division and confrontation.The appeal is contained in the message “Buddhists and Christians for an ‘Unarmed and Disarming’ Peace,” signed ... read more

VATICAN CITY — Cardinal Emil Paul Tscherrig, a former apostolic nuncio, died Tuesday at the age of 79. He was born Feb. 3, 1947, in Unterems, Switzerland.Tscherrig was ordained a priest on April 11, 1974. He later earned a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical Gregorian University. In 1978, he entered the diplomatic service ... read more

The Institute for the Works of Religion (IOR), also known as the “Vatican Bank,” closed 2025 with a net profit of 51 million euros, an increase of 55.5% over the 32.8 million euros recorded the previous year.The institution, founded by Pope Pius XII in 1942 and staffed by just over 100 employees, thus consolidated a ... read more

On May 8, the Vatican issued a commemorative stamp marking the first anniversary of the election of Pope Leo XIV. The stamp, issued by the Vatican City Postal and Philatelic Service, features a portrait of the Holy Father set against an image of Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii, whose feast the Church celebrates ... read more

Pope Leo XIV said the principal threat facing both religion and science today is the denial of the existence of objective truth. He made this statement on May 11 during an audience granted to members of the Vatican Observatory Foundation, which supports the work of the observatory located in Castel Gandolfo.“Today, however, science and religion ... read more

Pope Leo XIV called on Christians and Muslims to resist the growing danger of apathy in modern society, warning May 11 that the constant stream of images of human suffering can “dull our hearts rather than stir them” and urging believers to “transform indifference into solidarity.”The pope made the appeal during an audience with participants ... read more

In recognizing the work of the Italian Association for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (AISLA, by its Italian acronym), Pope Leo affirmed that “in the various situations of life — especially the difficult ones — no one should be left alone.”His words were delivered during an audience with members of the association, which took place Saturday at ... read more

POMPEI, Italy — Pope Leo XIV placed his pontificate under the protection of Mary during a visit to two cities in southern Italy on Friday — the first anniversary of his election to the papacy on May 8, 2025.Leo celebrated Mass for an estimated 20,000 people outside the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary ... read more

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state, said on Wednesday it would be premature to discuss sanctions against the German bishops for blessings of same-sex couples. Parolin, however, did not rule out an intervention by the Holy See but expressed hope that it would be avoided.“It is premature now to speak of sanctions. Let ... read more