Jerusalem’s Holy Week embraced with silent prayer, intimate liturgies as war continues to escalate April 3, 2026By Paulina Guzik OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News Holy Week in the Holy Land is unfolding in unprecedented silence, as war-related restrictions have left sacred sites largely without the faithful.
Jerusalem Church leaders decry escalating war, urge peace efforts amid ‘deep darkness’ March 30, 2026By Paulina Guzik OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, World News On the threshold of Holy Week and amid the U.S. and Israel-Iran war gaining new fronts, and harvesting new victims daily, the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem issued an annual Easter message, calling the war an “expanding wreckage” and its timing a “deep darkness.”
Report shows Cardinal Wojtyla’s actions were ‘exemplary’ in abuse cases, refuting previous claims March 23, 2026By Paulina Guzik OSV News Filed Under: Child & Youth Protection, News, World News “Our research shows that Cardinal Karol Wojtyla did not transfer priests from parish to parish when he learned of their criminal activities, but he took quick action, and some of his decisions were above-standard for the time,” the March 13 report’s lead said.
Pope Leo: Death and pain caused by wars a scandal for entire human family March 23, 2026By Paulina Guzik OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Vatican, World News As the U.S. and Israel-Iran war enters its fourth week, and amid a deep humanitarian crisis throughout the region, Pope Leo XIV appealed during his Sunday Angelus prayer March 22: “Persevere in prayer, so that hostilities may cease and paths of peace may finally open up, based on sincere dialogue and respect for the dignity of every human person.”
Custody of the Holy Land: Prayer continues at Holy Sepulchre amid ‘time of trial,’ restricted access March 23, 2026By Paulina Guzik OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Easter, News, World News The Church of the Holy Sepulcher remains a place of continuous prayer despite restricted access to the faithful, according to a statement released March 21 by the Custody of the Holy Land, which also said uncertainty persists over upcoming Holy Week and Easter celebrations.
Pope’s Robin Hood wraps almoner’s mission and returns to Polish hometown as archbishop March 13, 2026By Paulina Guzik OSV News Filed Under: Bishops, News, Vatican, World News After 13 years of daring acts of charity that made him break the law in the name of the Gospel and elevate Rome’s homeless to the heart of the Church, Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, the pope’s “Robin Hood” leaves Rome after nearly three decades to become archbishop of Lódz, Poland.
Pope Leo warns of ‘irreparable abyss,’ if diplomacy doesn’t take over violence in Iran, Middle East March 2, 2026By Paulina Guzik OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Pope Leo XIV issued a fervent appeal for return of diplomacy in “these dramatic hours” in the Middle East and Iran, condemning use of weapons that cause “destruction, pain, and death.”
Pope Leo XIV concludes retreat urging Church to live the Gospel worthily March 2, 2026By Paulina Guzik OSV News Filed Under: Lent, News, Vatican, World News As the first Lenten retreat of his pontificate drew to a close, Pope Leo XIV thanked Norwegian Bishop Erik Varden of Trondheim for “a profound, spiritual experience” after which, the pope said, he felt “particularly invited to reflect at certain moments.”
Meloni-look-alike angel removed from Rome church after brief viral moment February 5, 2026By Paulina Guzik OSV News Filed Under: Arts & Culture, News, World News A Roman church briefly became a viral sensation after an angel’s face appeared to resemble Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, then just as quickly lost its star attraction.
Meloni look-alike angel sparks investigation at historic Roman church February 3, 2026By Paulina Guzik OSV News Filed Under: Arts & Culture, News, World News If anything can electrify Italians on a Saturday, it’s certainly a combination of politics and scandal. This time, angels were involved as Romans rushed to the church of San Lorenzo in Lucina, in the proximity of the tourist-bustling Spanish Steps and Via del Corso, to see an angel in a freshly restored chapel with a face identical to that of Giorgia Meloni, Italian prime minister.
Pope welcomes new Marian mosaic, St. Rose of Lima statue in Vatican Gardens February 2, 2026By Paulina Guzik OSV News Filed Under: Marian Devotion, News, Vatican, World News The Vatican Gardens welcomed a new Marian mosaic and a statue of St. Rose of Lima, both created by young artists from Peru — in a ceremony that clearly delighted Pope Leo XIV — an American-born pope that holds Peru in “a special place” in his heart.
‘Peru holds a special place in my heart,’ pope tells Peruvian bishops, surprises them at lunch January 30, 2026By Paulina Guzik OSV News Filed Under: News, Vatican, World News Peruvian bishops’ visit to the tomb of the apostles made global news for a different reason: an unusual guest at their lunch and fraternal affection from the pope who is claimed by Peruvian faithful as their own.
