During a vigil for peace on Monday evening in the Basilica of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme in Rome, Cardinal Dominique Mathieu, archbishop of Tehran-Isfahan Mathieu, invoked God as “great and merciful,” affirming his designs of peace and rejection of war. The cardinal called for an end to violence, describing war as a “spiral” and an…

JOS, Nigeria — At least 11 people are feared dead and several others injured following a deadly attack by suspected gunmen in Gari Ya Waye community Angwan Rukuba, served by Nigeria’s Catholic Archdiocese of Jos. The attack occurred on the night of March 29, Palm Sunday, at about 7:50 p.m. local time. Eyewitnesses said the assailants…

The Mexican Bishops’ Conference encouraged the country’s faithful “to live Holy Week with profound faith,” emphasizing that this time reminds us that “evil does not have the last word.” In a March 28 video message, the Mexican bishops said that “Holy Week invites us to contemplate the mystery of God’s love, which is given for…

Many U.S. dioceses are expecting heavy increases in people joining the Catholic Church at Easter 2026, including some with record highs, a survey by the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News, found. “Something’s happening,” said John Helsey, director of communications for the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, which is expecting a 57% increase…

Pope Leo XIV on Monday appointed Italian Archbishop Paolo Rudelli the new head of the general affairs section of the Secretariat of State — one of the most influential positions in the Roman Curia. The so-called “sostituto” (“substitute”) is commonly considered the third most powerful position in the Vatican, after the Holy Father and the…

In a notable development, a joint statement was issued Monday by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Custody of the Holy Land announcing an agreement had been reached with the Israeli authorities regarding arrangements for Holy Week and Easter celebrations at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The March 30 announcement came after hours…

NAIROBI, Kenya — In addition to theological reflections on marriage and the sacraments, the final report addressing the pastoral challenge of polygamy in Africa, which members of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) issued on March 24, draws attention to a wide range of social, cultural, and pastoral realities shaping the…