The story behind young woman who wept while hugging Pope Leo in Beirut December 5, 2025By Dale Gavlak OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, Vatican, World News As Pope Leo XIV was wrapping up his first apostolic trip to Turkey and Lebanon recently, the world was moved by the sight of a young Lebanese woman crying and hugging the pontiff as he was meeting with victims of the deadly 2020 Beirut port explosion.
Pope asks Michael Bublé, other artists to give their best for poor December 5, 2025By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Arts & Culture, News, Vatican, World News Pope Leo XIV asked Canadian singer Michael Bublé and other artists to do their very best when performing a Christmas concert for the poor.
Christian persecution event focuses on human dignity in Iraq, Nigeria December 5, 2025By Katie Yoder OSV News Filed Under: Knights of Columbus, News, Religious Freedom, World News Speaking in a room adjacent to the exhibit, which will remain open until Feb. 8, the panelists invited American Catholics to see the human dignity of Christians suffering in Iraq and Nigeria. They asked Catholics to pray and remember the persecution that their brothers and sisters face worldwide.
Holy See at UN calls for end to Russia’s war in Ukraine ‘right now’ December 4, 2025By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: News, Vatican, War in Ukraine, World News The Holy See’s diplomatic mission to the United Nations called for an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine “not at some undefined moment in the future, but right now.”
Military archbishop urges respect for rule of law after follow-up strike on alleged drug boat December 4, 2025By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, World News The head of the U.S. military archdiocese on Dec. 3 urged respect for the human person and the rule of law amid new questions about the legality of a deadly U.S. military attack Sept. 2 on a boat in the Caribbean.
God chooses to come into world where humanity groans, South Sudanese bishop says December 4, 2025By Frederick Nzwili OSV News Filed Under: Christmas, News, World News Bishop Christian Carlassare of Bentiu delivered an early Christmas message as Advent began on Dec. 1, through which he sought to inspire hope among the people of the world’s youngest nation, who are suffering from conflict and climate change-related disasters, such as flooding.
Papal commission votes against ordaining women deacons December 4, 2025By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service Filed Under: deacons, Feature, News, Vatican, World News A commission set up by Pope Francis to study women deacons has voted against the possibility of ordaining women deacons while also supporting more study on the issue.
Churches, temples become emergency camps in cyclone-hit Sri Lanka December 4, 2025By OSV News UCA News Filed Under: Disaster Relief, News, World News Churches and temples in Sri Lanka have been turned into emergency relief camps for thousands left stranded by Cyclone Ditwah, which brought heavy rains, flooding and landslides across the island nation.
New coalition aims to end capital punishment as executions increase but public support wanes December 3, 2025By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: News, Respect Life, Supreme Court, World News Despite an uptick in executions in the U.S. in 2025, opponents of the death penalty lauded decreases in new death sentences and waning public support for the practice during comments at a Dec. 3 press event announcing a new coalition called the U.S. Campaign to End the Death Penalty.
Pope Leo’s childhood home in Chicago suburb now a historic landmark December 3, 2025By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: News, Vatican, World News Pope Leo XIV’s childhood home just outside of Chicago has been declared a historic landmark.
Ukraine’s religious leaders warn Russia will attack Europe if not halted, held accountable December 3, 2025By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: News, War in Ukraine, World News As Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians accompany U.S.-brokered peace talks that as of Dec. 3 produced no breakthrough, Ukraine’s religious leaders warn that failure to halt Russia and hold it accountable will expand the war to Europe.
Unity, dialogue, respect: On first trip, pope highlights paths to peace December 3, 2025By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Ecumenism and Interfaith Relations, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Spending time with Catholics, other Christian leaders and top Muslim clerics in Turkey Nov. 27-Nov. 30 and Lebanon Nov. 30-Dec. 2, the pope made formal speeches about how believing in God as the father of all means recognizing one another as brothers and sisters.
