Italian police and special forces thwarted a possible terrorist attack meant to target a centuries-old Catholic festival that thousands of people, including Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, were expected to attend.

Supporters of a Catholic winner of the Nobel Peace Prize have urged Western church leaders to take up his cause four years after he was detained and jailed in Belarus on trumped-up charges.

The future Christians hope for and must build “is not one of walls and barbed wire, but one of mutual acceptance,” Pope Leo XIV told young adult Catholics from more than a dozen Mediterranean countries.

Pope Leo XIV expressed condolences to victims and their families after the derailment of Lisbon’s historic funicular streetcar Elevador da Glória, which caused the death of over a dozen people.

As Israeli military operations in Gaza continued, Pope Leo XIV met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog at the Vatican.

Pope Leo XIV publicly called on the leaders of Sudan’s warring factions to negotiate an end to the violence and to ensure aid can reach desperate civilians.

Pope Leo XIV turns 70 on Sept. 14, and OSV News is celebrating by gathering a host of prayers into a very special “spiritual birthday bouquet” for the Holy Father. The best part? Everyone can participate.

The human longing for love is not a sign of weakness but demonstrates that no one is completely self-sufficient and that salvation comes from letting oneself be loved and assisted by God, Pope Leo XIV said.

Participating in the ecumenical Season of Creation, Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for the month of September is “for our relationship with all of creation.”

Pope Leo XIV offered his prayers for the dead after days of heavy rain triggered a landslide in a remote area of Sudan, and he prayed for all involved in the ongoing search and rescue operations.