Pope: Christian Hope Doesn’t Depend on Human Calculations
Pope Leo XIV said Christian hope “is not based on optimistic forecasts or human calculations,” but on God’s decision to share humanity’s path so that no one is alone on life’s journey. Speaking Jan. 4 from the window of the Apostolic Palace to hundreds of faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square despite the rain, the […]
Vatican Newspaper Leads With U.S. Attack on Venezuela
The Vatican’s daily newspaper L’Osservatore Romano opened its Saturday edition with news of U.S. airstrikes against Venezuela, reporting attacks in the capital, Caracas, as well as on several military bases around the country. The main image on the paper’s front page showed a dense column of smoke rising over an urban area, reflecting what the […]
In the Footsteps of Pope Benedict XVI
When Pope Benedict XVI died in Rome, the people of the Eternal City said it was the second time he had made Rome weep. The first was nearly ten years earlier, on February 28, 2013, when a snow-white helicopter lifted off from Vatican territory carrying a pope who had made history. With that flight, Benedict […]
The Last Days of Pope Benedict XVI in Rome
When Pope Francis entered the Audience Hall in Rome for the weekly General Audience on December 28, 2022, just days after Christmas, he carried a message that resonated far beyond the faithful gathered before him. Speaking with visible concern, the Holy Father turned to the world with an urgent prayer request. Last Days of Pope […]
Preserving Pope Benedict XVI’s Legacy
Even after the death of Pope Benedict XVI, interest in his pontificate and theology remains strong. This enduring legacy was clearly visible in July 2024, when theologians, clergy, and faithful gathered in the Bavarian town of Altötting for the second “Benedict XVI Forum.” The town, home to Germany’s most important Marian shrine, lies not far […]
God Is Reason and Love: The Theology of Pope Benedict XVI
Three years after the death of Pope Benedict XVI, interest in his theological vision remains strong. To reflect on his enduring legacy, EWTN Vatican spoke with three people who knew Joseph Ratzinger closely and continue to safeguard his spiritual and intellectual heritage: Archbishop Georg Gänswein, his longtime private secretary; Professor Ralph Weimann, organizer of the […]
Pope Leo XIV surprises SEEK26 with message: ‘What do you seek?’
Pope Leo XIV surprised attendees at SEEK 2026 with a videotaped message encouraging young people to seek after fulfillment they are looking for through personal encounter with Christ. “‘What do you seek?’ Jesus asked the disciples this question because he knows their hearts,” the Holy Father said, reflecting on the Gospel of John. Jesus knew […]
Pope Leo XIV mourns for victims of fire in Swiss bar on New Year’s Eve
Pope Leo XIV expressed his closeness and compassion to the families of the victims of a fire that broke out in the early hours of Jan. 1 at a bar in the ski resort of Crans-Montana in Switzerland. Nearly 300 people were celebrating New Year’s Eve at the Le Constellation bar when the fire spread […]
Pope Leo XIV Urges Prayers for Peace Worldwide
Pope Leo XIV on Thursday urged Catholics to pray for peace, “first, among nations bloodied by conflict and suffering,” and also “within our homes, in families wounded by violence or pain,” during the Angelus address on the first day of 2026. Greeting pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square for the solemnity of Mary, Mother of […]
Leo XIV: The World Is Saved by Welcoming All
Pope Leo XIV called Catholics to a steadfast openness to other people, warning that peace will not be built through force or exclusion, as he celebrated his first liturgy of the new year on Thursday. “The world is not saved by sharpening swords, nor by judging, oppressing, or eliminating our brothers and sisters,” the pope […]
