A silent life behind three popes: Farewell to Angelo Gugel, the iconic papal butler January 22, 2026By Katarzyna Szalajko OSV News Filed Under: News, Obituaries, Vatican, World News Five cardinals bid their farewell Jan. 17 to Angelo Gugel, the pontifical butler and witness to modern papal history, who stood silently behind St. John Paul II for nearly three decades, and contributed to saving the pope on the day of the assasination attempt.
Kyiv’s iconic St. Nicholas Church returns to Catholic hands for 50 years January 16, 2026By Katarzyna Szalajko OSV News Filed Under: Arts & Culture, News, War in Ukraine, World News After decades of legal disputes, delays and competing claims, Ukraine’s Roman Catholic community has received the right to use Kyiv’s historic St. Nicholas Church for the next 50 years, under an agreement signed with the state.
Polish students refuse to remove classroom crucifix when teacher reportedly asked them to do so January 9, 2026By Katarzyna Szalajko OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, World News An alleged desecration of a crucifix at a primary school in northern Poland has triggered nationwide outrage in the predominantly Catholic country.
Born in hardship, sung in hope: the quiet, powerful origins of ‘Silent Night’ December 24, 2025By Katarzyna Szalajko OSV News Filed Under: Arts & Culture, Christmas, Feature, News, World News As Christmas approaches and “Silent Night” begins to fill churches and homes across the world, it is worth remembering how unlikely its beginning truly was.
A dream of Bethlehem community: A house for the poor in village where St. Francis staged first Nativity December 23, 2025By Katarzyna Szalajko OSV News Filed Under: Christmas, News, World News For almost 30 years, Father Miroslaw Tosza, a priest of the Diocese of Sosnowiec in southern Poland, has lived in the Betlejem (Bethlehem) community in Jaworzno — a house shared by people who have lost jobs, families, homes, health, sobriety and, very often, trust in anyone at all. Now, he dreams of establishing a retreat house for his poor in Greccio.
Baltimore native Weigel honored for defense of human dignity in the face of aggression December 1, 2025By Katarzyna Szalajko OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, The Catholic Difference, War in Ukraine, World News American theologian and author George Weigel was honored Nov. 30 with the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church’s Blessed Omelyan Kovch Award at the National Opera House in Lviv, Ukraine.
Major German Christmas market reopens with ‘security’ and ‘preserving tradition’ as main goals November 20, 2025By Katarzyna Szalajko OSV News Filed Under: Advent, Christmas, News, World News Christmas markets — long considered the lively heart of Advent in Germany — are facing new uncertainty this year as towns grapple with tighter security rules and rising public anxiety.
Red Wednesday: A global stand for persecuted Christians will see 600 churches lit up in red November 19, 2025By Katarzyna Szalajko OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, World News As night falls across continents on Nov. 19, more than 600 churches and landmarks will light up in red, reminding the world that Christian persecution remains a stark global reality.
Bishop: Survival of Christian communities in Nigeria depends on security, justice November 11, 2025By Katarzyna Szalajko OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, World News Faith is a matter of life and death in northern Nigeria, said Bishop John Bogna Bakeni of Maiduguri.
It’s Holywins: European Catholics offer a joyful alternative to Halloween October 31, 2025By Katarzyna Szalajko OSV News Filed Under: News, World News, Youth Ministry Across Europe, Catholic families are turning Halloween into a celebration of light, life and holiness. Known as “Holywins” — a play on “Holy” and “Halloween” — the movement began in Paris in 2002 and has since spread to Poland, Belgium, Italy, Spain and beyond.
Pianist’s sign of the cross goes viral as he enters world’s famous Chopin piano competition October 20, 2025By Katarzyna Szalajko OSV News Filed Under: Arts & Culture, News, World News In the charged silence before his performance at the 2025 Chopin Competition in Warsaw, Polish pianist Piotr Pawlak did something both simple and profound.
From satanist to saint: Meet Bartolo Longo, who gave world the shrine of Our Lady in Pompeii October 16, 2025By Katarzyna Szalajko OSV News Filed Under: News, Saints, World News When pilgrims gather in St. Peter’s Square on Oct. 19 to witness the canonization of Blessed Bartolo Longo, along with six other blesseds, they will see not just the elevation of a new saint, but a story of a radical conversion.
