Jordan to develop tourist village next to World Heritage Baptism Site December 15, 2022By Dale Gavlak Catholic News Service Filed Under: Christmas, Feature, News, Saints, World News Jordan began Christmas celebrations by unveiling a project that could attract 1 million pilgrims annually to the officially recognized site of Jesus’ baptism on the east bank of the Jordan River.
Extension features Nativity art, letters by children of Ukraine, Uvalde December 15, 2022By Catholic News Service Catholic News Service Filed Under: Christmas, Feature, Gun Violence, News, World News Catholic Extension’s cover story is about Christmas through the eyes of these children who “come from different cultures and parts of the world, but what they share in common is faith — faith in the midst of terror, violence and war,” the story said.
Celebrate Christmas ‘with Ukraine in your hearts,’ pope says, urging aid December 14, 2022By Catholic News Service Catholic News Service Filed Under: Christmas, Feature, News, Vatican, War in Ukraine, World News Celebrating Christmas is important and beautiful, Pope Francis said, but he asked people to spend less on their celebrations this year and donate the savings to help the people of Ukraine.
The devil is sneaky, so Christians must be watchful, pope says December 14, 2022By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Christmas, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Vigilance is an essential part of the spiritual life because the devil will try to sneak in when one is not paying attention or, especially, when a Christian thinks he or she is making a lot of progress on the road to holiness, Pope Francis said.
RADIO INTERVIEW: Christmas music and the power of song in times of plague December 13, 2022By Catholic Review Staff Catholic Review Filed Under: Advent, Christmas, Feature, Local News, News, Radio Interview Dr. Remi Chiu, a musicologist at Loyola University Maryland in Baltimore and author of “Plague and Music in the Renaissance” talks with George Matysek in this encore episode about Christmas music and the historic power of music in times of plague and pandemic.
Catholic Review photographer enjoys 100-year-old cookie recipe December 13, 2022By Kevin J. Parks Catholic Review Filed Under: Christmas, Commentary, Feature, Guest Commentary, Recipes Using a 100-year-old recipe handed down by her maternal great grandmother, Sue Parks continues a family tradition started decades ago that makes Christmases extra special.
Violence worries church leaders, but tourists buoy Bethlehem residents December 13, 2022By Judith Sudilovksy Catholic News Service Filed Under: Advent, Christmas, Feature, News, World News Despite an uptick in violence between the Israeli army and Palestinians in the northern West Bank, the pre-Christmas atmosphere in Bethlehem was festive and optimistic and, for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, Bethlehem hotels reported near full capacity during the weeks leading up to Christmas.
Students take a colorful look at St. Nicholas December 12, 2022By Catholic Review Staff Catholic Review Filed Under: Christmas, Feature, Local News, News, Schools St. Nicholas is known as the saint of giving for his generosity. Artist Tim Murphy created this coloring page of the saintly bishop for the Catholic Review to distribute at the Merriweather Post Pavilion Symphony of Lights and to schools in the archdiocese. Here are just a few of the finished pages we received.
Pope is asking governments to grant clemency to prisoners at Christmas December 12, 2022By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Christmas, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Pope Francis is writing to all the heads of state around the world, asking them to consider granting some prisoners clemency at Christmas.
St. Bernardine among parishes wrapped up in Christmas spirit with concerts December 8, 2022By Gerry Jackson Catholic Review Filed Under: Advent, Christmas, Feature, Local News, News Tony Small, a Grammy-award nominated music director at St. Bernardine in West Baltimore thinks “Wrapped in Love” is a fitting title for a performance to help celebrate the Christmas season and serve as outreach to the surrounding community.
USPS ‘Virgin and Child’ stamp features one of world’s most revered images December 7, 2022By Catholic News Service Catholic News Service Filed Under: Christmas, Feature, News, World News Every two years the U.S. Postal Service issues a traditional first-class Christmas stamp showing Mary and Jesus, and this year’s stamp features an oil-on-panel painting from the first half of the 16th century titled “Virgin and Child.”
‘O Holy Night’ tops all hymns used in churches in December, according to poll December 6, 2022By Mark Pattison Catholic News Service Filed Under: Arts & Culture, Christmas, Feature, News, World News The Christmas carol “O Holy Night” ranked first in a list of hymns most played in December at Christian churches in the United States.