“No one can separate us from our love for Jerusalem, just as no one can separate us from the love of Christ,” said Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, on Palm Sunday, April 13, 2025. / Credit: Photo courtesy of the custos of the Holy Land

Rome Newsroom, Apr 14, 2025 / 11:49 am (CNA).

On Palm Sunday, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, called on Christians in the Holy Land to “hope against all hope” during a difficult time, remembering that Christ’s resurrection, not death, has the final word.

“This is our vocation: to build, to unite, to tear down walls, and to hope against all hope,” Pizzaballa said in his message, according to Vatican News. “The Passion is not God’s last word to the world. The Risen One is. And we are here to affirm it once more — with strength, with love, and with unshakable faith.”

Catholics in Jerusalem marked Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week on April 13 with the blessing of the palms and Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre — Jesus’ burial site — followed by a procession through the same streets Jesus walked during his triumphant entry into the Holy City before his passion and death.

“We know we are living through difficult times,” the cardinal and patriarch said April 13. “But we are not here today to speak only of hardship. We are here to proclaim with strength that we are not afraid. We are children of light, of resurrection, of life. We believe in a love that conquers all.”

For the first time since 2017, the Catholic Church and Orthodox Churches are celebrating Holy Week and Easter on the same days. While Pizzaballa celebrated Mass for Palm Sunday at the altar of Mary Magdalene in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Coptic, Syriac, and Ethiopian Churches held their liturgies at different altars around the “edicule.”

Pizzaballa in his message reminded Christians that “Jerusalem has always been and will always be a house of prayer for all peoples. No one can possess her.”

“We belong to this city,” he added, “and no one can separate us from our love for Jerusalem, just as no one can separate us from the love of Christ.”

After Pizzaballa blessed palms from Jericho and olive branches from the Franciscan Convent of the Holy Savior in Jerusalem, clergy and lay Catholics processed three times around the rotunda of the Holy Sepulchre to symbolize the three days Christ spent in the tomb.

Following Mass, Catholics took to the streets just outside the Holy City to continue the procession, beginning at the Shrine of Bethphage on the eastern part of the Mount of Olives and ending at St. Anne’s Church at the Lions’ Gate leading to the Old City of Jerusalem.

“You are the ones that keep the flame of the Christian faith alive, here in Jerusalem, and you keep alive the presence of Christ in our midst,” the Latin patriarch said at the end of the procession, which walked the same route taken by Jesus during his triumphant entry into Jerusalem — the event commemorated by Palm Sunday.

“Here, today, despite everything, at the gates of his and our city, once again, we declare wanting to welcome him truly as our king and messiah, and to follow him on his path toward his throne, the cross, which is not a symbol of death but of love,” Pizzaballa said.

The Basilica de la Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain, designed by architect Antoni Gaudí. Pope Francis on Monday, April 14, 2025, declared Gaudí “venerable,” bringing him one step closer to sainthood. / Credit: Public domain; r.nagy/Shutterstock

Vatican City, Apr 14, 2025 / 10:30 am (CNA).

Pope Francis on Monday declared Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí “venerable,” bringing the designer of Barcelona’s iconic Sagrada Familia basilica one step closer to sainthood.

The Vatican announced April 14 that Pope Francis has formally recognized Gaudí’s “heroic virtue,” a key step in the canonization process. Two miracles attributed to Gaudí’s intercession are now required for his canonization.

Known as “God’s architect,” Gaudí died in 1926 at age 73. A leading figure in modernist and naturalist architecture, he is best known for designing the Basilica de la Sagrada Familia, a massive basilica still under construction more than 140 years after work began.

The basilica, with its distinctive spires and blend of Gothic and modernist styles, has become one of the most visited churches in the world. It was consecrated as a minor basilica by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010. At the dedication, Pope Benedict praised Gaudí for uniting nature, Scripture, and liturgy in a way that “brilliantly helped to build our human consciousness, anchored in the world yet open to God, enlightened and sanctified by Christ.”

Though not initially devout, Gaudí is said to have undergone a spiritual conversion while working on the Sagrada Familia. As the work on the basilica progressed, Gaudí became known for his fasting, asceticism, and devotion to God. In the final 14 years of his life, he devoted himself entirely to the basilica and rejected all other commissions. He was struck by a tram in Barcelona on June 7, 1926, while walking to confession and died three days later.

Gaudí is buried in the crypt of the Sagrada Familia. Of the basilica’s three main facades, only the Nativity Façade was completed during his lifetime. The Passion Façade was built later based on his designs, and the Glory Façade remains unfinished. 

The basilica is expected to be completed next year in 2026, marking the centenary of Gaudí’s death. 

Efforts to advance his sainthood cause began in 1992, led by a group of lay Catholics. The Vatican officially opened the cause in 2003. In 2015, Pope Francis reportedly expressed support for advancing the process, calling Gaudí “a great mystic,” according to the Association for the Beatification of Antoni Gaudí. 

The pope’s Monday decree came following a meeting with Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, head of the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, amid the pontiff’s ongoing recovery from illness. 

Miracle, martyr, and heroic virtue

In the same decree, Pope Francis also recognized a miracle attributed to Eliswa Vakayil (1831–1913), an Indian religious sister later known as Mother Eliswa of the Blessed Virgin Mary who founded the first Indigenous Carmelite congregation for women in Kerala in 1866.  

Before entering religious life, Vakayil was married and had a daughter named Anna. After her husband suddenly fell ill and died when her daughter was 18 months old, Vakayil dedicated herself to a life of silent prayer and service.  

Praying before the Blessed Sacrament more than a decade later, Vakayil felt called to consecrate her life to God. Her daughter Anna and her sister felt inspired to join her and the three family members were officially received together into the Carmelite order four years later. 

The recognized miracle paves the way for Vakayil’s beatification. 

The pope also recognized the martyrdom of Italian missionary priest Father Nazareno Lanciotti, who was killed in Brazil in 2001. Lanciotti spent 30 years in missionary work near Brazil’s Bolivian border, founding a hospital, a home for the elderly, a school, a minor seminary, and 57 rural faith communities where he instituted daily Eucharistic adoration. 

Lanciotti was known for opposing injustice, including drug trafficking and exploitation, which reportedly made him a target. On Feb. 11, 2001, two masked assailants entered his rectory and shot him. He died 11 days later after forgiving his attackers. 

The Vatican recognized his death as martyrdom, citing both his forgiveness of his killers and the premeditated nature of the killing. His beatification may now proceed, though canonization will require a confirmed miracle. With the recognition of his martyrdom, Lanciotti can now be beatified, but a miracle attributed to his intercession is still required for him to be canonized as a saint. 

In addition to Gaudí, the Vatican also recognized the heroic virtue of three more priests: Canon Petrus Joseph Triest (1760–1836) of Belgium and Italians Father Agostino Cozzolino (1928–1988) and Father Angelo Bughetti (1877–1935).

The Diocese of Westminster, which includes much of the capital city London, said it had 252 catechumens and over 250 candidates, making a total of over 500 to be received into the Catholic Church at Easter — the most seen since 2018. / Credit: Diocese of Westminster

London, England, Apr 14, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

This Easter Vigil, the Catholic Church in England is expecting a decade-high surge of new entrants to the faith. There is anecdotal evidence of a particular increase in young men, who say their interest was sparked initially by Catholic apologists on social media and also by the traditional heritage of Catholicism.

Almost all English dioceses contacted by CNA reported a significant increase in both catechumens and candidates at the Rite of Election at the start of Lent compared with last year. Many had not seen comparable numbers for a decade.

The Diocese of Westminster, which includes much of the capital city London, said this year it has 252 catechumens and over 250 candidates, making a total of over 500 to be received into the Catholic Church at Easter — the most seen since 2018.

The adjacent Archdiocese of Southwark, which has a significant evangelization program, saw over 450 adults complete the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) this year, more than the year before. Such levels have not been seen since Pope Benedict XVI allowed groups of Anglican communities to enter into communion in 2011 through the apostolic constitution Anglicanorum Coetibus.

“I don’t think it can just be put down to COVID recovery; there seems to be something fresh afoot,” said Mark Nash, Southwark’s director of the Agency for Evangelization and Catechesis. “The Holy Spirit is moving in a very particular way.” 

Although the candidates have a broad variety of backgrounds, some trends he has noticed include young men initially inspired by online U.S.-based evangelists and apologists such as Bishop Robert Barron, founder of Word on Fire; Father Mike Schmitz, a popular speaker, podcaster, and campus minister; Edward Sri, a theologian, author, and speaker; and Trent Horn, a Catholic apologist and podcaster.

Nash has also noticed more from atheistic countries.

“As part of my work, anecdotally, going to a number of parishes, groups I’ve been in, there has been a large number of younger people — particularly men,” he said. “Increasing numbers of Chinese… in Southwark we are blessed with a panoply of ethnicities. It is really is the Church universal; it is massively edifying.”

The diocese published a video of interviews of four candidates who expressed a variety of reasons and motivations for becoming Catholic, including the witness of the early Church fathers, the experience at a Catholic school, and the powerful faith of a young child. 

A musician living a “rock-and-roll life” spoke of feeling drawn to Mary. “I knew that it was something real and strong and pure,” Vedina-Rose said in the video. “Mary gives me so much comfort and love and understanding, and whenever there have been moments where I felt doubt or I felt lonely or I felt rejected all I have to do is call on Mary and I just feel this comfort… I just love Jesus.”

Across England and Wales similar trends are noticeable: 

• The Diocese of Arundel and Brighton, on the south coast, said it had an increase from 60 catechumens and just under 90 candidates in 2024 to 105 catechumens and 105 candidates this year. 

• In the Diocese of Northampton, just north of London, there were 38 adult candidates for baptism and 62 for reception. Yearly statistics show that this is a level not seen since 2014, and apart from a surge in the mid-2000s, these levels are historically high. 

• The Archdiocese of Birmingham, in the midlands, said there were 201 catechumens and candidates at the Rite of Election compared with nearly 130 in 2024. 

In northern England, the Archdiocese of Liverpool had 140 candidates and catechumens this year. Last year it had 110. One attendee at Liverpool Cathedral is Sarah Yates, 21, who will be baptized at the Easter Vigil. Although her parents were not religious, time spent with her grandparents going to Mass laid a foundation for her more recent interest. She credits young people’s increased interest in Catholicism to the internet. 

“I think the rise in social media has led to the increase,” she said. “People can just express any views. If one person in America says something, I can look and then conduct my own research.”

“Personally I don’t like to use social media that much,” she continued, “but with YouTube and Spotify, you can sit in the comfort of your own home, you can learn the entire history of Catholicism — it’s all out there.”

John Withers, the director of WeBelieve, a new festival in England that aims to reach “seekers” as well as Catholics, said he has observed young men drawn to his parish after watching videos on YouTube that progressively interested them in the faith. They began with psychologist Jordan Peterson, then Bishop Barron, then more spiritual speakers such as Father Schmitz. 

“They literally followed that algorithmic journey into the Church,” Withers said. “Society has been ‘spiritual, not religious’ for some time. Now, Christianity — particularly in its ancient forms — is becoming a socially acceptable spiritual option. There is something in the air.”

The increase in those entering the Church appears to have taken place in many different kinds of parishes up and down England. But there has been particular interest in more traditional expressions of spirituality, often at urban-centered Oratories run by a distinct network of priests and founded by St. Philip Neri. 

One priest of the Oratory told CNA: “There is a remarkable resurgence of interest in the faith, especially among young people, and in particular young men. We have a continual stream of interest, such that I would say that there is a new person asking about becoming a Catholic nearly every week.”

“I would say that most of those coming to the Church have no religious background, or almost none,” he said. “It is precisely the lack of purpose and truth in contemporary society that leads them to seek meaning. For that reason then, watered-down versions of Christianity have no attraction.”

One personal story that illustrates this trend is that of Paul Sapper, 27, who works as a communications officer at faith-based legal advocacy organization ADF International, which has defended many of the Christians prosecuted for pro-life work or for conservative values in the U.K. 

Sapper first engaged with Christians at Oxford University and spent time in evangelical churches. He was drawn to the Catholic Church due to its upholding of traditional sexual ethics including contraception. He now attends the Traditional Latin Mass.

He said he believes his generation is increasingly drawn to Christianity in its historic form and that the “hugely encouraging” increase in people at the Rite of Election is a “promising sign that we may be at a turning point and entering a new era.”

“There is a general consensus between people of various worldviews that things are getting worse and that we are in an age of decline in this country and across the West,” he said. “The solution to the crisis we face today is not political or cultural — it’s spiritual, as we are facing a spiritual crisis. As things get darker, more and more people — especially young people — are coming to realize that the light of Christ and his truth shine all the more brightly in the dark.”

“Decline is not inevitable, but our civilization can only be healed by returning to its founding principles, which are based and wholly dependent on the Christian faith and worldview,” he said.

The interest in Christianity is not confined to Catholicism. The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, a Protestant book publisher, said there has been a 87% increase in purchases of the Bible between 2019 and 2024, and there have been anecdotal reports of conversions in some evangelical churches. 

Cardinal Lazzaro You Heung-sik, prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy, celebrated Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica for Korean Catholics before the statue of St. Andrew Kim Tae-gŏn was blessed by Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica, on Sept. 16, 2023. / Credit: Daniel Ibanez/CNA

CNA Newsroom, Apr 13, 2025 / 14:50 pm (CNA).

The Vatican’s Dicastery for the Clergy issued a decree updating the Church’s norms governing Mass intentions and stipends, emphasizing both proper spiritual understanding and practical solutions for modern pastoral challenges.

Pope Francis approved the document — published so far only in Italian — on Palm Sunday, April 13. It will take effect on Easter Sunday, April 20.

The decree, which replaces the 1991 instruction Mos Iugiter, maintains Canon 945 of the Code of Canon Law, affirming that priests may receive offerings for celebrating Mass according to specific intentions, while introducing significant provisions for “collective intentions.”

According to the updated norms, bishops’ conferences or provincial councils may now permit priests to accept multiple offerings from different donors for a single Mass with a “collective intention” but only when all donors have been explicitly informed and freely consented.

“Such consent of the donors can never be presumed,” the document states firmly.

“In the absence of explicit consent, it is always presumed that consent has not been given.”

The decree also reaffirms that offerings for Mass intentions must never be treated as commercial transactions, noting that such practices would constitute simony — the forbidden buying or selling of spiritual things.

Cardinal Lazzaro You Heung-sik, prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy, explained that the new regulations came after “profound consideration” and extensive consultation with bishops, clergy, and faithful worldwide.

The document addresses the growing challenge of clergy shortages in many regions, making it difficult to fulfill all requested Mass intentions while preserving their spiritual significance.

Bishops are instructed to properly educate clergy and faithful about these regulations and maintain accurate records of Masses, intentions, and offerings. The decree emphasizes that priests should celebrate Mass for the intentions of the faithful, “especially the poorest, even without receiving any offering.”

The norms also prohibit substituting promised Masses with simple mentions during liturgies, categorizing such practices as “gravely illicit.”

A notable pastoral provision allows diocesan bishops to redirect surplus Mass intentions to parishes or mission territories in need, promoting solidarity within the universal Church.

A smiling Pope Francis arrives in St. Peter's Square on April 13, 2025, in a surprise visit at the end of the outdoor Palm Sunday Mass. / Credit: Bénédicte Cedergren/CNA

Vatican City, Apr 13, 2025 / 10:50 am (CNA).

Marking another in a series of recent surprise public appearances, Pope Francis on Sunday briefly greeted thousands of pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square to celebrate Palm Sunday.

“Happy Palm Sunday and beginning of Holy Week!” the Holy Father said with some difficulty to the cheers of the large crowd that filled the square and spilled out along the Via della Conciliazione.

Unable to participate in the Palm Sunday Mass, the 88-year-old pontiff, still convalescing after a serious bout of double pneumonia that kept him hospitalized for 39 days, arrived in a wheelchair toward the end of the outdoor liturgy, smiling and without nasal tubes as he passed by clergy, religious men and women, and laypeople standing near the altar.

Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, vice dean of the College of Cardinals, presided over the Mass as the pope’s delegate and read the Holy Father’s written homily to crowds of people waving palms and olive branches under overcast skies.

In his prepared homily, the pope exhorted Christians to “experience the great miracle of mercy” by accompanying Jesus in his journey to the cross.

“Let us decide how we are meant to carry our own cross during this Holy Week: if not on our shoulders, in our hearts,” the pope shared. “And not only our cross but also the cross of those who suffer all around us.”

Pope Francis’ homily focused on Simon of Cyrene who, in St. Luke’s Gospel, “unexpectedly found himself caught up in a drama” of Christ’s crucifixion.

“As we make our own way toward Calvary, let us reflect for a moment on Simon’s actions, try to look into his heart, and follow in his footsteps at the side of Jesus,” the pope observed.

Though the man from Cyrene did not take up Jesus’ cross and follow him out of “conviction” but, rather, of “coercion,” the Holy Father praised him for being present to help the suffering Jesus and, in an “unexpected and astonishing way,” becomes “part of the history of salvation.”

“Between him and Jesus, there is no dialogue; not a single word is spoken. Between him and Jesus, there is only the wood of the cross,” the pope wrote.

“When we think of what Simon did for Jesus, we should also think of what Jesus did for Simon — what he did for me, for you, for each of us: He redeemed the world,” he added.

Placing emphasis on Christ’s infinite love that, “in obedience to the Father,” bore the sins of all humanity, the pope highlighted that Christians believe in a God who “suffered with us and for us.”

“Let us remember that God has made this road a place of redemption, for he walked it himself, giving his life for us,” the pope urged.

Pope’s Angelus message

In his Palm Sunday Angelus address released by the Vatican, the Holy Father asked Christians to continue to pray for those who are suffering in the world because of war, poverty, and disasters.

“The 15th of April will mark the second sad anniversary of the beginning of the conflict in Sudan, in which thousands have been killed and millions of families have been forced to flee their homes,” he said in his message.

“The suffering of children, women, and vulnerable people cries out to heaven and begs us to act,” he added.

On Friday, Sudanese paramilitaries killed the entire nine-member staff of the last medical clinic in a refugee camp in the western region of Darfur, Sudan, according to a report in the New York Times, citing aid groups and the United Nations. In all, at least 100 people were killed in an assault on the camp, which is populated by a half-million people displaced by the country’s civil war, the report said.

Noting other ongoing civil wars affecting populations in Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia, the pope asked people to pray for peace in Congo, South Sudan, Lebanon, Palestine, Israel, and Myanmar.

In his address, the Holy Father also asked people to remember the victims and families of the Santo Domingo disaster in the Dominican Republic that killed more than 200 people after a nightclub roof collapsed on April 8.

“May Mary, Mother of Sorrows, obtain this grace for us and help us to live this Holy Week with faith,” Pope Francis said.

At least 33 people have been reported dead and thousands displaced following April 5-6, 2025, flooding that cut access to over half of the Congolese capital of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo. / Credit: Catholic Radio Elikya/Arsene/Radio Okapi

ACI Africa, Apr 13, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Catholic bishops in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have expressed their “spiritual closeness and solidarity” with victims of the recent floods and landslides that struck the capital city of Kinshasa and surrounding areas, leaving scores dead and causing widespread destruction.

At least 33 people were reported dead and thousands displaced following the April 5-6 flooding that cut access to over half of the capital. The floods reportedly occurred when the N’Djili River, which runs through the city of an estimated population of 17.8 million, burst its banks and submerged major roads.

In a statement shared with ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, on April 9, members of the National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO) conveyed their compassion and assured their prayers for those affected by the devastating natural disaster, which followed torrential rains during the night of April 4-5.

“We are deeply saddened by the tragic events caused by the torrential rains … resulting in the loss of human lives and significant material damage,” CENCO members said in their statement.

They expressed their “spiritual closeness and solidarity” with Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo, archbishop of Kinshasa, and Bishop Jean-Crispin Kimbeni of Kisantu. “With them, we share in the suffering of all those in the heavily affected areas,” they said.

“As shepherds of the people, we welcome the measures taken by the Congolese government and the arrangements put in place to assist and shelter those living in the flooded zones,” the statement said.

They also appealed to “humanitarian organizations and to the solidarity of all people of goodwill to support the victims of these disasters.”

“To our brothers and sisters in the areas affected by the floods and landslides, be assured of our compassion and our prayers,” the Church leaders said.

“Through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of the Congo, may the risen Lord heal the wounds of the injured and restore courage and hope to all who have lost their belongings,” they continued. “May he console the bereaved families and grant eternal rest to the victims.”

Residents of Kinshasa are still counting their losses following the floods, describing the disaster as having torn the city “into two,” according to a local priest. Father Patrick Lonkoy Bolengu, a member of the Mill Hill Missionaries in the DRC, shared his firsthand account of the tragedy in an interview with ACI Africa. 

“As a Catholic priest, I have stood at the bedside of the sick, prayed beside the dying, and walked with the poor. But nothing prepared me for the sorrow I now witness in my beloved city, Kinshasa,” Bolengu said in an April 9 interview with ACI Africa.

“‎On the morning of Saturday, April 5, heavy rains poured down from the heavens not as a blessing but as floods that swallowed homes, claimed lives, and left a trail of anguish across our capital,” he recalled.

“For two days, Kinshasa was torn in two, its people stranded, helpless, grieving,” he explained. “Today, 33 of our brothers and sisters have died, 46 are hospitalized, and 2,956 have been forced into temporary shelters.”

“The cries of children echo through flooded streets. Mothers search for what little remains of their homes. The elderly sit in silence, waiting, some in despair, others in prayer,” he said.

On April 9, Ambongo paid a solidarity visit to the flood victims, particularly in Ndanu, one of the most severely affected neighborhoods.

The cardinal, accompanied by members of the Catholic community and numerous volunteers, began his visit at a local parish that had suffered extensive damage.

“We are here to share in the pain of our brothers and sisters, to offer them solidarity and hope in these difficult times,” Ambongo said during his tour.

As he moved through the damaged streets of Ndanu, he stopped to speak with families who had lost their homes, many partially or completely destroyed by the flooding. Survivors shared their grief and stories of loss but also expressed gratitude and a sense of renewed hope brought by the cardinal’s presence.

“It’s a gesture from the heart. He came to share in our suffering, to comfort us. We hope his involvement will inspire political leaders to take concrete action to prevent such tragedies in the future,” one resident said.

In 2024, Congo faced its worst flooding in six decades, according to UNICEF and other United Nations agencies. More than 300 people died, and 280,000 households were displaced. In 2023, more than 400 people died in floods; in 2022, rains and floods killed more than 160.

The devasting floods come as the DRC battles with a growing humanitarian crisis due to the incursion of the March 23 Movement rebels, who have made inroads into the Central African nation, with significant gains already made in the mineral-rich eastern region.

Researchers at Denis Hurley Peace Institute of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference have warned that should the Rwanda-backed invasion continue, DRC risks a “complete breakdown.”

Amid the challenges, including the seemingly never-ending armed conflicts in the poverty-stricken Plateaux de Bateke, Bolengu expressed his commitment to be a voice for the voiceless.

This story was first published by ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, and has been adapted by CNA.

The main entrance to the Armenian Patriarchate and the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem. / Credit: Marinella Bandini

Jerusalem, Apr 13, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

Tensions have continued to escalate between the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Jerusalem municipality with the latest skirmish over a demand for significant property tax payments called the “Arnona tax” — a levy imposed on property owners in the municipality.

The dispute began two years ago and reignited in February, when a hearing session was scheduled before a district court about an alleged debt of 21 millions shekels (about $5.7 million) and with the threat of foreclosure on patriarchate properties.

CNA spoke with Bishop Koryoun Baghdasaryan, the director of the real estate department of the Armenian Patriarchate who, since Jan. 11, 2023, has been in charge of all the real estate properties in the Holy Land — Israel, the Palestinian Authority, and Jordan.

“We received tax bills 12 days after I was appointed, in January 2023, together with the notification that the execution bureau was instructed to begin foreclosure proceedings due to the alleged Arnona debt,” Baghdasaryan explained.

The properties in question are located in West Jerusalem, including on Shlomziyon Street and Jaffa Street, which are rented to the municipality itself.

“The municipality owes the Armenian Patriarchate over 10 million shekels for renting property adjacent to the municipal building,” Baghdasaryan said. “They haven’t paid us since 2017. We never considered filing a petition or taking legal action; instead, we chose to engage in negotiations.”

The Armenian Patriarchate promptly filed a petition with the district court to halt the foreclosure, arguing that “the tax claims were baseless,” citing “inclusion of properties leased to the municipality and taxes on properties never owned by the Armenian Patriarchate.”

The petition succeeded in obtaining an interim order to stop the foreclosure, while the hearing regarding the tax claims before the court was postponed each time.

In February, a new hearing was scheduled before the court, reopening the case.

The Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem have issued a statement expressing “great concern” over the incident and voicing their solidarity with the Armenian Patriarchate.

“This reckless move,” they wrote, “jeopardizes the Orthodox Armenian Patriarchate and sets a perilous precedent that could imperil Christian institutions throughout the Holy Land.”

Thanks to public pressure as well as adverse weather forecasts, the hearing was once again postponed until further notice.

“At the moment, the situation is on hold,” Baghdasaryan explained, but the situation remains tense, since “it could rise again at any time.”

This is not the first time Jerusalem’s Christian communities have faced similar tax demands. In 2018, the municipality sent Arnona appeals to all Christian communities, leading to the unprecedented closure of the Holy Sepulchre Basilica.

Intervention by the prime minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, froze the situation and a governmental committee was established to find a solution.

“We had several productive meetings,” Baghdasaryan explained. “Then, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, everything stopped, but the committee still holds the mandate to resolve these issues.”

That’s why the Armenian Patriarchate wants to “go back to the governmental committee and find a solution through negotiations.”

According to Baghdasaryan, the current situation differs from 2018 as the tax demand in 2023 was specifically directed at the Armenian Patriarchate, a move seen as “a strategy to set a legal precedent applicable to all Christian communities.”

Setrag Balian is fourth-generation Jerusalemite Armenian and co-founder of “Save the ArQ” (Armenian Quarter), which was created in response to a deal regarding the Cow’s Garden and aims “to give a voice to the Armenian community, that has been voiceless for a very long time.”

When contacted by CNA regarding the recent developments, he emphasized the community’s solidarity with the patriarchate. At the same time, he sees no direct link between the tax dispute and the Cow’s Garden case. “I wouldn’t call the tax issue an attack — perhaps it’s just another way of applying pressure on the Christian institutions,” he said.

Balian too suggested the municipality’s move could be a tactic to “set a precedent for other Christian churches, posing a threat to the Christian institutions” and to “the Christian presence in the Holy Land,” stressing that Christian institutions historically have been exempt from the Arnona tax due to the services they provide in lieu of the municipality, a status upheld through different periods of rule.

Historically, Christian institutions in Jerusalem have been exempt from such tax due to the significant social services they provide — including schools, hospitals, and aid to low-income families.

This exemption was respected during the Ottoman Empire, the British Mandate, Jordanian rule, and the initial decades of the State of Israel. 

The current move by the municipality is seen as “a departure from this historical understanding,” according to the Armenian Patriarchate.

“It is inconceivable that Christian institutions, whose mission for centuries has been to safeguard faith, serve communities, and preserve the sacred heritage of the Holy Land, should now face the threat of property seizure,” the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem wrote.

Asked about the economic measures implemented by the Armenian Patriarchate to safeguard its properties, Baghdasaryan explained that the Assembly of the Brotherhood — the highest decision-making body after the Holy Synod — has decided not to lease any land for more than 49 years and to limit building leases to a maximum of 24 years and 11 months. “We believe this is a sound way to manage our properties and avoid putting them at risk,” he said.

The Armenian Patriarchate and the Armenian community — numbering around 3,000 in the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem and 8,000 in the whole Holy Land — remain vigilant. The outcome of this dispute could have significant implications for the future of Christian institutions and their presence in Jerusalem.

A priest holds palms on Palm Sunday. / Credit: Grant Whitty via Unsplash

CNA Staff, Apr 13, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA).

When is Palm Sunday 2025?

This year Palm Sunday falls on April 13.

What is the meaning of Palm Sunday?

Palm Sunday is the day we remember and honor Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem before his crucifixion. As Jesus entered the city on a donkey, people gathered and laid palm branches and their cloaks across Jesus’ path, shouting: “Hosanna to the Son of David!” It is also significant because it fulfilled Old Testament prophecies. For example, Jesus rode into the city on a donkey, fulfilling the prophecy found in Zechariah 9:9.

When was Palm Sunday first celebrated?

According to Brittanica, the earliest evidence of Palm Sunday being celebrated dates back to the eighth century.

Why do we use palm branches on Palm Sunday?

The palm symbolized victory in the ancient world. All four Gospels tell us that people cut branches from palm trees and laid them across Jesus’ path and waved them in the air as he entered Jerusalem triumphantly a week before his death. As the Church enters Holy Week, the faithful use palms to commemorate his victory and Jesus’ passion liturgically. 

What kind of palms are used for Palm Sunday? Where do they come from?

Palm harvesters can be found around the world. However, a certain kind of palm tree grown in Florida called cabbage palmetto makes up a large majority of the palms used in U.S. parishes. 

Where is Palm Sunday found in the Bible? 

The account of Palm Sunday can be found in Matthew 21:1–11, Mark 11:1–11, Luke 19:28–44, and John 12:12–19.

Who celebrates Palm Sunday?

Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant communities celebrate Palm Sunday. 

Is Palm Sunday a holy day of obligation in the Catholic Church? 

Yes. Since every Sunday is a holy day of obligation, Palm Sunday is also a holy day of obligation.

How do you make a cross out of palms?

Watch this video with step-by-step instructions.

Can you eat meat on Palm Sunday? 

Yes, you can eat meat on Palm Sunday. Sundays during Lent are still celebrations of the Resurrection. Abstinence from meat, the traditional form of Lenten penance, occurs on Fridays during Lent. Fasting, which involves abstaining from meat and eating only one meal with two smaller snacks that do not equal the size of the main meal, occurs on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

Are Palm Sunday and Passion Sunday the same? 

Yes. Palm Sunday can also be referred to as Passion Sunday. Palm Sunday comes from the fact that it honors Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem, where the people carried palm branches. It also is called Passion Sunday because the Gospel narrative of Jesus’ passion is read on this Sunday. 

What is the link between Palm Sunday and Ash Wednesday? 

The ashes used on Ash Wednesday are the burned palms from the previous year’s Palm Sunday. That means the palms used this year will be burned into ashes to be used during Ash Wednesday next year.

What are the Palm Sunday colors? 

Red is worn on Palm Sunday in honor of the Lord’s passion.

How long is Palm Sunday Mass? 

This will vary but it will most likely be over an hour long. In many parishes, Mass begins with a procession. The procession symbolizes those who went to meet the Lord as he entered Jerusalem. The Gospel reading is also much longer than usual. The Passion narrative is read and the faithful participate throughout the reading.

Can you say ‘Happy Palm Sunday’? 

Yes, of course!

This story was first published April 9, 2022, and was updated April 10, 2025.

The choir, clergy and guests stand during the ceremony to mark the reopening of Notre-Dame of Paris Cathedral on Dec. 7, 2024, in Paris. / Credit: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images for Notre-Dame de Paris

CNA Newsroom, Apr 12, 2025 / 11:30 am (CNA).

France’s Catholic Church will welcome more than 10,384 adult catechumens at Easter this year, marking a 45% increase from 2024 figures, according to data released by the French Bishops’ Conference.

The French report reveals the highest numbers ever recorded since the survey began over 20 years ago. Even more striking is the demographic shift — young adults now constitute the largest segment of converts.

“The great challenge that presents itself to us now is to make disciples,” wrote Archbishop Olivier de Germay of Lyon in his assessment of the findings.

“We must not simply imagine some procedures for ‘after’ baptism, but our entire parish communities must become aware of their collective mission.”

The 18-25 age group, composed of students and young professionals, now represents 42% of adult catechumens, surpassing the 26-40 demographic that had historically dominated conversion statistics. This youth-driven spiritual awakening represents a significant shift in the Church’s evangelization landscape.

Additionally, adolescent baptisms have surged, with more than 7,400 teenagers between 11 and 17 years old preparing to receive the sacrament. Dioceses across France report a 33% increase in adolescent catechumens compared with last year.

The French Bishops’ Conference intentionally connected this year’s data to the Jubilee of Young People in Rome, describing the event as “a meeting place for young catechumens from around the world.”

The trend mirrors similar developments seen elsewhere in Europe. The National Catholic Register, CNA’s sister news partner, recently reported unprecedented attendance at Ash Wednesday Masses across France this year, with churches experiencing standing-room-only congregations and an influx of young people.

“We shattered attendance records,” Father Benoist de Sinety, parish priest of St. Eubert Church in Lille, told the Catholic weekly Famille Chrétienne. “Nearly a thousand faithful gathered at Saint-Maurice Church in the evening — many of them young people attending for the first time.”

An investigation to be published by CNA this coming Monday, April 14, explores a similar trend in the United Kingdom.

This European revival comes as new figures show that a 20-year decline in Christian identification appears to be “leveling off” in the United States.

Pew Research Center data shows 62% of U.S. adults identify as Christian, a figure that has remained “relatively stable” since 2019.

Women continue to outnumber men among catechumens, accounting for 63% of those seeking baptism. The survey also noted an increasing urban trend, reversing the previous two years’ growth in rural conversions.

Particularly notable is the 10-year trajectory: France has witnessed adult baptisms more than doubling since 2015, when only 3,900 adults received the sacrament, compared with this year’s 10,391 — representing a 160% growth over the decade.

The comprehensive report also examined the religious background of catechumens, noting that while most come from Christian families, an increasing number declare themselves as having no religious tradition or coming from non-Christian backgrounds.

A 2021 study revealed that approximately 17% of adult catechumens in France had previous spiritual experiences outside Christianity, including Buddhism, esotericism, or animism.

“Let us not think too quickly that all this happened without us,” Archbishop de Germay concluded in his reflection. “The letters from catechumens clearly show the diversity of ways through which the Lord has passed.”

Students from local schools lead the Colorado March for Life at the state capitol on April 11, 2025. / Credit: Kate Quiñones/CNA

Denver, Colo., Apr 12, 2025 / 11:00 am (CNA).

When Beverly Jacobson was five months pregnant, the doctors told her she should have an abortion.  Jacobson’s daughter, Verity, had Edwards syndrome, a developmental condition that their specialist said was “incompatible with life.”  

“He went on to say that if she survived, she would be a drain on the family mentally, emotionally, and financially,” Jacobson said on Friday.

But he was wrong. On Friday, Verity joined her mom on the steps of the state capitol as Jacobson addressed the Colorado March for Life.

“She is a gift from God,” Jacobson told the crowd of 3,500 pro-lifers gathered at the steps of the capitol building.

Jacobson has since founded a nonprofit called Mama Bear Care to support mothers and families who receive difficult pregnancy diagnoses.

The Colorado March for Life is one of 19 state marches run by the March for Life taking place this year. Colorado’s was organized jointly by the March for Life and Pro-Life Colorado. 

Colorado — historically one of the most pro-abortion states in the country — just passed an abortion funding bill. If signed by the governor, $1.5 million in public funding would go to abortion annually for a program proponents say would save the government money by “averting births.” 

During her speech, Tamra Axworthy, head of ACPC Life Services and Women’s Clinic, called the bill “eugenics disguised as public policy.”

Instead of supporting mothers and valuing life, “our lawmakers have decided that the cheaper option is to eliminate children before their first breath,” she said. 

“That is not compassion. That is not justice.”

Pam Behler, the head of local pregnancy resource center My Choice Resource Center, shared that two young women recently came straight to the clinic from Planned Parenthood thanks to local pro-life sidewalk counselors.

One had come all the way to Vail, a mountain town, to have the abortion, but when she found out she was 13 weeks pregnant she came to the center and got an ultrasound.

“She was so happy,” Behler recalled.

Another young woman had been told she couldn’t do an ultrasound at Planned Parenthood unless she had an abortion.

“We’re just praying, praying, praying for her to keep the baby,” Behler said.

Maria Carpenter, who now organizes abortion healing retreats at Deeper Still Pikes Peak, shared during her speech her experience healing from abortion and suicidal thoughts. 

Carpenter said she had been minutes away from dying by suicide when she heard the phone ring. A co-worker she hadn’t heard from in years was calling to invite her to go to church with her.

Carpenter remembers tears running down her cheeks as she accepted “God’s invitation.”

“In my darkest hour, God saw me in my shame, my pain, and my lostness, and he pursued me,” she told the crowd. “I regret my abortions, but I now have my voice back.”

The front of the march was led by several school groups, many dressed in their uniforms, all chanting various slogans. Among the signs: “We are the pro-life generation and we will abolish abortion” and “We love babies, yes, we do!”

Several onlookers pulled out their phones to take photos of the large crowd making its way down Colfax Avenue.

Mark Baisley, a Republican state senator representing Colorado’s 4th Senate district, also spoke at the event, encouraging people to turn their hearts toward God.

Madeline Lamb, a young mom who lives in Littleton, said she came to the March for Life because she believes the cause is “not just a political issue.” 

“This is legitimately a moral issue that we should all band together and fight for,” she told CNA.

Sister Mary Grace of the Sisters of Life — a well-known Catholic speaker who hails from Australia — reminded the audience of God’s presence, saying “every second that your heart beats, God is bestowing life into you.”

“Every human life is the icon of the divine, breaking into a dark world,” Sister Mary Grace said.

In 1967, Colorado became the first state to decriminalize abortion. Current state law allows abortion up until birth. Just last year, Coloradans passed an amendment enshrining a “right to abortion.” Now, the abortion funding bill that passed in the House and Senate is in the hands of state Gov. Jared Polis.  

But Sister Mary Grace — and many other marchers — haven’t lost hope.

“God is breaking in,” Sister Mary Grace said.

Jennie Bradley Lichter, the new president of the national March for Life, spoke on the importance of marching for life, urging attendees: “Despite the challenging landscape, don’t be discouraged.”

“We know how this story ends. We know that life wins.”

Denver Auxiliary Bishop Jorge Rodriguez led a reflective closing prayer.

“We want the world and Denver to hear the silent noise of a baby in his or her mother’s womb, the newborn’s whimper, the laugh of children; but also to hear the faith of the sick and the wisdom of the elderly,” Rodriguez said.

“Such a richness, Lord, comes from your mind, your heart, and your hands.”