Pope Leo XIV waves to pilgrims gathered for the Mass for the Jubilee of Catechists on Sept. 28, 2025, in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Oct 7, 2025 / 07:08 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV will visit Turkey and Lebanon in the first apostolic journey of his pontificate, to take place from Nov. 27 to Dec. 2, the Vatican announced Tuesday.

Holy See Press Office Director Matteo Bruni said the pope accepted the invitations of the “Head of State and Ecclesiastical Authorities” of both countries in an Oct. 7 statement released by the Vatican.

During the six-day papal trip, the Holy Father will visit the Turkish city of Iznek to mark the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, an ecumenical milestone in Church history that led to the formulation of the Nicene Creed.

According to a media release published by the Ecumenical Patriarchate on Tuesday, Pope Leo will undertake a joint pilgrimage with Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople to Nicaea on Nov. 28 before spending two days in the Phanar, the headquarters of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul, where he and Bartholomew will celebrate the feast day of St. Andrew the Apostle on Nov. 30.

Leo will be the fifth pope to visit Turkey. Early in his pontificate, Pope Francis visited the Middle Eastern nation in 2014 to strengthen the Church’s interreligious dialogue with Orthodox and Muslim leaders.

The last papal visit to Lebanon was made by Pope Benedict XVI from Sept. 14–16, 2012, more than one year after the outbreak of the Syrian civil war.

The Assembly of the Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in Lebanon issued a statement on Tuesday expressing their gratitude to Pope Leo for his “fatherly love and special concern” for the Lebanese people.

“We receive this historic event with great joy and renewed hope, praying this apostolic visit may bring Lebanon peace and stability, and that it may be a sign of unity for all Lebanese Christians and Muslims alike, in this delicate phase of our nation’s history,” the statement read.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said the pope’s visit will deepen the “unwavering trust” between Lebanon and the Vatican and a sign of peace in a country of diverse religions and cultures.

“All Lebanese — Christians and Muslims alike, from every sect and community — are preparing to receive him with sincere joy and rare national unity that reflects the true image of Lebanon,” Aoun said on Tuesday.

“Lebanon — its leadership and its people — looks to this visit with great hope at a time when challenges are growing on every level,” he added.

According to a 2024 UNHCR (U.N. refugee agency) report, Lebanon hosts the largest number of refugees per capita and per square kilometer in the world, including approximately 1.5 million Syrian refugees.

This story was updated on Oct. 7, 2025, at 9:19 a.m. ET.

St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. / Credit: Xosema (CC BY-SA 4.0)

ACI Prensa Staff, Oct 7, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

The Archdiocese of Seoul announced that it has received authorization from the Vatican, or “nihil obstat,” to initiate the beatification cause of the priest who pioneered monastic life in Korea.

According to the Vatican news agency Fides, Father Leo Bang Yu-ryong (1900–1986) will be recognized as a servant of God. With this permission, the archdiocese will be able to begin the diocesan phase of the process.

Auxiliary Bishop Job Koo Yoo-bi of Seoul, president of the diocesan commission for beatification and canonization, said that in this first phase, information and testimonies will be gathered about Bang Yu-ryong’s heroic virtues and reputation for holiness.

Life of the pioneer of monastic life in Korea

Bang Yu-ryong was born on March 6, 1900. He grew up in a time marked by the persecution of Christians. In 1917, he entered the Yongsan Minor Seminary, where he was deeply convinced that Indigenous or local monastic life was necessary for the Catholic Church in the country, which had not yet been divided into North and South Korea.

He was ordained a priest in 1930. In Hwanghae Province, where he was parish priest from 1933, he renewed pastoral ministry by eliminating the custom of separating boys from girls in church, installed the first organ, created a youth choir, encouraged youth activities, and accompanied aspiring monks.

On April 21, 1946, the first Easter Sunday after Korean independence from Japanese imperial rule and 100th anniversary of the martyrdom of St. Andrew Kim, he and two religious sisters founded the first Korean women’s congregation, the Sisters of the Blessed Korean Martyrs.

The priest wished to perpetuate the spirit of the martyrs, patron saints of the new congregation, whom he called “ancestors in the faith.” He gave the order the charism of “spreading the Gospel in a spirit of fraternal love and martyrdom, for the glory of God and the sanctification of its members.”

On Dec. 12, 1951, he received official approval of the congregation from the Holy See. On Oct. 30, 1953, he also founded the male congregation of the Blessed Korean Martyrs, the first native male religious order in Korea.

In 1957, he established the third order of consecrated laymen with the same charism, and in 1962, he authorized the founding of the Society of the Sisters of the Palm of the Korean Martyrs for married and widowed women.

On May 6, 1957, Bang Yu-ryong made his perpetual vows in the congregation he founded and dedicated his entire life to consolidating his spiritual family. He died on Jan. 24, 1986.

2 other causes underway in the Archdiocese of Seoul

In addition to the cause of Bang Yu-ryong, the Archdiocese of Seoul is also pursuing the beatification of Bishop Barthelemy Bruguière (1792–1835), the first apostolic vicar of Korea and a member of the Paris Foreign Missions Society.

The other case is that of Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan (1922–2009), archbishop of Seoul from 1968 to 1998 and the first Korean cardinal.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Churches in Jerusalem face ongoing tax pressures amid long-standing negotiations. / Credit: Amizor via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

ACI MENA, Oct 7, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

In Jerusalem, the property tax, known as the “Arnona” tax, has become one of the most contentious issues between the city’s municipality and the churches. 

Under Israeli law, this is a municipal levy imposed on all properties within city and local council boundaries, regardless of type, and its calculations are based on square meters and the use of the property.

Attorney Fareed Jibran, legal and public affairs adviser to the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, explained to ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner: “Arnona is a municipal property tax, not a state tax. The basic principle is that every property within municipal borders, whether residential, commercial, or public, must pay tax in exchange for the services the municipality provides.”

For centuries, churches in Jerusalem and most of their institutions were exempt from this tax, since Ottoman rule, through the British Mandate, and into the early years of Israel’s establishment. The exemption was nearly absolute, except for purely commercial activity. 

“Churches historically provided services the state did not, such as education, health care, and ecclesiastical courts. For this reason, they were granted tax exemptions,” Jibran explained.

“The shift in the legal framework about 15 years ago ignored this historical reality, leading to tax demands on monasteries, clergy residences, guesthouses, hospitals, and organizations like Caritas, even though these are nonprofit institutions playing a vital social role,” he added.

‘More than 30 years later, no solution has been reached’

The issue also carries an international legal dimension. 

Since 1993, the Vatican and Israel have been negotiating the financial and tax status of Catholic Church properties in Jerusalem, including Arnona.

“The fundamental agreement is clear: As long as negotiations are ongoing, neither side has the right to take unilateral measures,” Jibran said. “Nevertheless, in recent years, municipalities have begun sending seizure orders and initiating legal action against churches, despite the Vatican’s protests that such steps violate the agreement.”

The agreement initially envisioned concluding negotiations within two years. “But today,” Jibran noted, “more than 30 years later, no solution has been reached. The state claims some properties are used commercially, such as restaurants within church grounds, which would not qualify for exemption. This opens debate about what counts as ‘commercial’ versus what is considered a Church service.”

Impact on the churches

According to Jibran, the taxes imposed on church institutions directly affect their ability to carry out their religious and social mission and to safeguard Christian heritage in Jerusalem. 

“These taxes impact the upkeep of historic buildings and ancient churches, the running of schools and hospitals, and the provision of community services,” he said.

In a recent move that sparked strong protest, Israeli municipal authorities froze the bank accounts of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem and imposed high tax demands on its properties. The Palestinian Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs denounced the measure as an “attack on the authentic Christian presence in Palestine.” 

So far, no official confirmation has been given that the freeze has been lifted, leaving the Church facing financial challenges that hinder its ability to provide spiritual, humanitarian, and social services.

This story was first published by ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, and has been translated for and adapted by CNA.

A woman prays the rosary at the Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC, on Sept. 28, 2024. / Credit: Jeffrey Bruno

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 7, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA).

October is designated by the Catholic Church as the Month of the Rosary, and Oct. 7 is the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.

Here are seven common myths and facts about this devotion to Our Lady:

1. Only Catholics can pray the rosary. 

False. While rosaries are typically associated with Catholics, non-Catholics can certainly pray the rosary — and in fact, many credit it to their conversion. Even some Protestants recognize the rosary as a valid form of prayer.

2. Praying the rosary is idolatry. 

False. Some have objections to the rosary, claiming it idolizes Mary and is overly repetitive. 

Just like any practice, the rosary can be abused — just as someone might idolize a particular pastor or priest, a form of worship, or fasting. But the rosary itself is not a form of idolatry. 

The rosary is not a prayer to Mary — it is a meditation on the life of Christ revealed in five mysteries “with the purposes of drawing the person praying deeper into reflecting on Christ’s joys, sacrifices, sufferings, and the glorious miracles of his life.” 

When we pray the Hail Mary, we are not adoring Mary, we are asking for her intercession — just as we might ask a friend or family member to pray for us. 

Second, any prayer can lose its meaning if we do not intentionally meditate on it. Focusing on the mysteries with purpose and intention is key to the rosary’s transforming power. As one author encourages: “The rosary itself stays the same, but we do not.”

3. You can wear a rosary as a necklace.

It depends. It is typically considered disrespectful and irreverent to wear a rosary around one’s neck as jewelry, even though the Church does not have an explicit declaration against doing so. 

However, Canon 1171 of the Code of Canon Law says that “sacred objects, set aside for divine worship by dedication or blessing, are to be treated with reverence. They are not to be made over to secular or inappropriate use, even though they may belong to private persons.”

It is important to treat the rosary with respect and intention. If you intend to wear the rosary as a piece of jewelry, this would not be respectful and should be avoided. It goes without saying that wearing the rosary as a mockery or gang symbol would be a sin.

But if it is your intention to use the rosary and be mindful of prayer, then it could be permissible. It is not uncommon in some cultures, like in Honduras and El Salvador, to see the rosary respectfully worn around the neck as a sign of devotion.

Rosary rings or bracelets might be a better option if you want to keep your rosary close at hand as a reminder to pray, as they are kept more out of sight and would not be as easily misconstrued to be a piece of jewelry. 

4. The rosary is an extremist symbol.

False. A widely-shared 2022 Atlantic article went viral for accusing the rosary of being an “extremist symbol.” 

“Just as the AR-15 rifle has become a sacred object for Christian nationalists in general, the rosary has acquired a militaristic meaning for radical-traditional (or ‘rad trad’) Catholics,” the article read.

The author also cited the Church’s stance on traditional marriage and the sanctity of life as evidence of “extremism” and claimed that Catholics’ tendency to call the rosary a “weapon in the fight against evil” as dangerous.

As CNA reported in 2022, popes have urged Catholics to pray the rosary since 1571 — often referring to the rosary as a prayer “weapon” and most powerful spiritual tool.

5. The rosary is not biblical.

Untrue! Most of its words come directly from Scripture.

First, the Our Father is prayed. The words of the Our Father are those Christ taught his disciples to pray in Matthew 6:9–13.

The Hail Mary also comes straight from the Bible. The first part, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee,” comes from Luke 1:28, and the second, “Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb,” is found in Luke 1:42.

Finally, each of the decades prayed on the rosary symbolizes an event in the lives of Jesus and Mary. The decades are divided into four sets of mysteries: joyful, luminous, sorrowful, and glorious, the majority of which are found in Scripture. 

6. A rosary bead, or pea, can kill you.

Somewhat true. A rosary pea, or abrus seed, is a vine plant native to India and parts of Asia. The seeds of the vine, which are red with black spots, are often used to make beaded jewelry — including rosaries. Rosary pea seeds contain a toxic substance called “abrin,” which is a naturally-occurring poison that can be fatal if ingested. However, it’s unlikely for someone to get abrin poisoning just from holding a rosary made from abrus seeds, as one would have to swallow them.

Today, most rosaries are made from other nontoxic materials, such as olive wood or glass — eliminating this concern.

7. Carrying a rosary can protect you.

True. The rosary has proven to be a miraculous force for protecting those of faith and bestowing upon them extra graces, such as the victory of the Christian forces at the Battle of Lepanto after St. Pius V implored Western Christians to pray the rosary.

Many great saints across history, including Pope John Paul II, Padre Pio, and Lucia of Fátima, have also recognized the rosary as the most powerful weapon in fighting the real spiritual battles we face in the world. 

We know that spiritual warfare is a real and present danger: “For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens” (Eph 6:11–12). 

“The rosary is a powerful weapon to put the demons to flight and to keep oneself from sin … If you desire peace in your hearts, in your homes, and in your country, assemble each evening to recite the rosary. Let not even one day pass without saying it, no matter how burdened you may be with many cares and labors,” Pope Pius XI said. 

This story was first published on Oct. 1, 2022, and has been updated.

Gerard Bradley (left), Bishop Thomas Paprocki (center), and Father David Pignato (right) speak on a panel at Ave Maria School of Law Conference on Oct. 3, 2025, at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Ave Maria School of Law

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 6, 2025 / 18:13 pm (CNA).

Bishop Thomas John Paprocki and other figures emphasized the importance of faith formation for Catholic lawyers and the role that Catholic law schools have in helping shape perspectives of soon-to-be lawyers.

“Law certainly follows values,” Paprocki said in a panel discussion at an Ave Maria School of Law conference on Oct. 3, hosted at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C.

Paprocki — the bishop of Springfield, Illinois, and an adjunct professor at Ave Maria School of Law — said a person’s values, whether they come from theology or a secular notion of virtue, influence the way laws are crafted for all issues, including marriage or abortion.

For Catholic law schools, he said Scripture and doctrine “should be the basis for what we’re teaching” about values. He said values consistent with Church teaching should “influence the way we go about” addressing those issues.

Paprocki said he’s heard Catholics say they are “personally opposed to abortion” yet support legalized abortion. But he said he has never heard a person say he is “for open borders, but I don’t want to impose that belief on others.”

The bishop said faith formation for Catholic lawyers should ensure they have “a more robust understanding of the natural law,” as understood through Catholic social teaching. He said Christ instructs us to “go out and make disciples” and “not to be bashful about [our faith].”

Paprocki told CNA that in some contexts “you don’t necessarily have the opportunity to be very explicit” about matters of faith when employed as a lawyer, but “you should still be informed by your faith life.” Regarding lawmaking, he said “[you should] have religious principles that inform your [views] … and help shape what a policy should be.”

According to Paprocki, the nation’s founders saw the United States as a “religious country” to be informed by religious beliefs. He said that views informed by faith pose no threat to the First Amendment’s establishment clause, which prohibits “an establishment of religion.” The clause, he said, prohibits “an official church of the government.”

“That has been misinterpreted by some people to mean that you can’t mention God at all,” the bishop said.

Gerard Bradley, a retired Notre Dame law professor, said at the conference that the distinction between a secular law school and a Catholic law school ought to be that a Catholic school is “wed … not just to this truth or that truth, but the whole concept of truth.” He said a Catholic law school must reflect the view that Catholic doctrines “are truths that permeate everything we do.”

Lee Strang, executive director of Ohio State University’s Salmon P. Chase Center, spoke earlier in the day about the history of Catholic law schools in the United States, noting that they were initially created to advance the upward mobility of Catholic immigrants, bolster university reputations, and establish a culturally distinct law school. 

Over time, he said some schools began to teach a more intellectually Catholic understanding of law rooted in Catholic law tradition, which is focused on “a Catholic theory of the human person within the context of law.” 

Retired Loyola University Chicago law professor John Breen said modern Catholic law schools ought to ultimately be “directed toward worship of the Holy Trinity” with an understanding of human anthropology “that comes to us through the Church: the ‘imago Dei.’” 

“You can’t understand the human person if you don’t also contemplate God,” Breen said. 

He said alternative anthropologies lack an understanding of human exceptionalism and the soul, which distorts the understanding of law and emphasize an “atomized self” focused solely on “desire” or “choice.” 

Ave Maria law professor Ligia Castaldi noted an understanding of natural law rooted in Catholic doctrine is important for discussions about the sanctity of life from the moment of conception until natural death.

Richard Myers, another law professor at the university, noted the importance of Catholic legal thought on the issue of same-sex civil marriage. He said in the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide, “[most] advocacy scholarship [was] on the wrong side of the issue.” 

Catholic legal thought, he said, “served an important function, a corrective function … [that was] important to the debate on those issues at that time.”

Over 200 Christians were murdered by Islamist militants in Nigeria on June, 13, 2025. / Credit: Red Confidential/Shutterstock

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 6, 2025 / 17:43 pm (CNA).

Members of Congress and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) are pushing to designate Nigeria as a country of particular concern (CPC) as religious persecution continues across the west African country.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, introduced legislation in September that would require the Trump administration to adopt the CPC designation in addition to imposing targeted sanctions against Nigerian government officials who facilitate or permit jihadist attacks against Christians and other religious minorities. 

Under the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) of 1998, the U.S president must designate countries that engage in or tolerate “particularly severe violations of religious freedom” as CPCs. Violations include torture, prolonged detention without charges, and forced disappearence, according to the State Department. 

“Nigerian Christians are being targeted and executed for their faith by Islamist terrorist groups and are being forced to submit to sharia law and blasphemy laws across Nigeria,” Cruz said in a statement announcing a bill he named the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025. 

“It is long past time to impose real costs on the Nigerian officials who facilitate these activities, and my Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act uses new and existing tools to do exactly that,” Cruz said, adding: “I urge my colleagues to advance this critical legislation expeditiously.”

Republican Sens. Ted Budd of North Carolina, Pete Ricketts of Nebraska, Josh Hawley of Missouri, and James Lankford of Oklahoma endorsed redesignating Nigeria in a Sept. 12 letter sent to Secretary of State Marco Rubio that Budd posted on X.

Legislation is not likely to move forward until Congress settles an impasse over funding that has shut down the government for nearly a week. The State Department is expected to break its two-year moratorium on CPC designations later this year, likely in December. 

The last CPC designations were made by Secretary of State Antony Blinken in December 2023, when Blinken revoked Nigeria’s CPC designation that was put in place by then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in 2020. 

Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, introduced legislation in March calling for Nigeria’s redesignation “for engaging in and tolerating systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom.”

Similarly, the USCIRF also recommended the State Department designate Nigeria as a CPC in its latest update on religious freedom in the country in late July. 

“Twelve state governments and the federal government enforce blasphemy laws, prosecuting and imprisoning individuals perceived to have insulted religion,” the USCIRF said in its report, adding: “Despite efforts to reduce violence by nonstate actors, the government is often unable to prevent or slow to react to violent attacks by Fulani herders, bandit gangs, and insurgent entities such as JAS/Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).”

The latest congressional effort to bring about the designation comes as testimonies of Nigerians kidnapped by jihadist Fulani herdsmen have revealed that hundreds of Christians are still being held by the Islamist group in the infamous Rijana Forest in the southern part of Nigeria’s Kaduna state, ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, reported on Oct. 1. 

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa tours the war-torn area surrounding Holy Family Church with the parish’s pastor in Gaza, Father Gabriel Romanelli. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem

CNA Staff, Oct 6, 2025 / 17:13 pm (CNA).

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, called the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal brokered by the U.S. a “first step” toward peace.

In a statement, the terrorist group Hamas agreed to release the remaining Israeli hostages, living and dead, in the first steps of a peace deal brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump. 

Twenty living hostages and the bodies of 28 dead hostages are believed to remain in Gaza as the second anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack — the largest massacre of Jews since World War II — approaches.

Pizzaballa called the ceasefire deal “an important and long-awaited first step” in an Oct. 4 letter to the faithful.

The 20-point plan includes deradicalizing Gaza into a terror-free zone that doesn’t “pose a threat to its neighbors” and redeveloping Gaza for the people of Gaza, as well as an immediate ceasefire, the return of the hostages, and the return of nearly 2,000 Gazan prisoners. 

“If both sides agree to this proposal, the war will immediately end,” the plan reads. “Israeli forces will withdraw to the agreed-upon line to prepare for a hostage release. During this time, all military operations, including aerial and artillery bombardment, will be suspended, and battle lines will remain frozen until conditions are met for the complete staged withdrawal.”

Delegations from the U.S., Israel, Hamas, and some Middle Eastern countries met on Monday in Egypt for peace talks. 

“Nothing is entirely clear or definite yet; many questions remain unanswered, and much still needs to be defined,” Pizzaballa said. “We must not delude ourselves, but we are pleased that something new and positive is on the horizon.”

The first phase of the ceasefire would include the logistics of the hostage release, followed by a plan to create a Palestinian “technocratic, apolitical” leadership in Gaza that is not Hamas, according to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. 

“We await the moment to rejoice for the families of the hostages, who will finally be able to embrace their loved ones,” Pizzaballa said. “We hope the same for Palestinian families, who will be able to embrace those returning from prison. We rejoice above all for the end of hostilities, which we hope will not be temporary and will bring relief to the inhabitants of Gaza.”

“We don’t know if this war will truly end, but we do know the conflict will continue because its root causes have yet to be addressed,” Pizzaballa said.

“The end of war does not necessarily mark the beginning of peace, but it is the first essential step toward building it,” Pizzaballa continued.  

Pizzaballa reflected on hope for the Easter resurrection amid the war. 

“Anger, resentment, distrust, hatred, and contempt too often dominate our discourse and pollute our hearts,” Pizzaballa said. “We risk becoming accustomed to suffering, but it need not be so. Every life lost, every wound inflicted, every hunger endured remains a scandal in God’s eyes.”

“The dominant narrative of recent years has been one of clash and reckoning, inevitably leading to the deeply painful reality of polarization,” Pizzaballa continued. “As a Church, reckoning does not belong to us, either as logic or as language. Jesus, our teacher and Lord, made love that becomes gift and forgiveness his life’s choice.” 

“His wounds are not an incitement to revenge but a sign of the ability to suffer out of love,” he said.

Pope Leo XIV joins the Australian community for evening prayer at Domus Australia Catholic Chapel in Rome on Monday, Oct. 6, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Oct 6, 2025 / 16:43 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV joined the Australian community for evening prayer at Domus Australia Catholic Chapel in Rome on Monday.

Before praying vespers with approximately 150 people, the Holy Father blessed a restored painting of Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii that was gifted to the chapel by soon-to-be saint Bartolo Longo.

“Indeed, this devotion to our Blessed Mother holds a special place in my heart, so I am also happy to share this occasion with the Australian community,” the Holy Father said in a short homily.

“It is my hope that this image … will inspire an ever greater devotion to her among the residents of the Domus and those who visit as pilgrims, as well as the members of the local community,” he added.

In light of the Church’s jubilee year dedicated to the theological virtue of hope, Leo encouraged those praying with him on Monday to be inspired by the example of the Mother of God.

“Mary embodied that virtue through her trust that God would fulfill his promises,” he said. “This hope, in turn, gave her the strength and courage to spend her life willingly for the sake of the Gospel and abandon herself entirely to God’s will.”

In his homily, the Holy Father emphasized the significance for “daily fidelity” to God even though “we do not know what the future holds.”

“God never delays; we are the ones who have to learn to trust, even if it requires patience and perseverance. God’s timing is always perfect,” he said.

“God always comes to save and liberate us,” he added.

Turning to the writings of St. Augustine, Leo said the early Church Father reminds Christians that God’s plan and purpose for each person is salvation and eternal life. 

“God created us without us, but he will not save us without us,” he said, quoting St. Augustine. “Thus, we are called to cooperate with him by living out a life of grace as his sons and daughters, making our own contribution to the plan of salvation.”

Moreover, the Holy Father said God did not “come simply to redeem us from slavery to sin” but to become children of God and “free our hearts” to accept his love. 

“God our Father ‘chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world … he destined us in love to be his sons and daughters through Jesus Christ,’” he said, citing a passage of St. Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians.

Before concluding vespers, Leo entrusted the Australian community living in Rome to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

“As you venerate Our Lady of Pompeii at the Domus Australia, it is my prayer that you also will be strengthened by the Holy Spirit in your own service to the Lord and his Church, and that you may bear much fruit, fruit that will last,” he said.

Cathedral of St. Matthew, Washington, D.C. / Credit: Ron Cogswell via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 6, 2025 / 14:06 pm (CNA).

A New Jersey man was arrested on Sunday outside of the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington, D.C., on charges of unlawful entry, threats to kidnap or injure a person, and possession of a molotov cocktail, according to authorities.

The cathedral held its Red Mass on Sunday, Oct. 5, “to invoke God’s blessings on those responsible for the administration of justice as well as on all public officials,” St. Matthew’s reported. Supreme Court justices and lawmakers usually attend the annual Mass.

The Mass is traditionally held on the Sunday before the first Monday in October, which marks the opening of the Supreme Court’s annual term. Due to the expected high-profile attendees, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers were surveilling the area ahead of the 9 a.m. Mass.

Shortly before 6 a.m., officers noticed an individual who set up a tent on the steps of the cathedral, MPD said. The suspect charged with possessing a molotov cocktail, a hand-thrown incendiary weapon, was identified as 41-year-old Louis Geri from Vineland, New Jersey, according to an MPD statement.

Officers said they learned that Geri had been banned from the cathedral, but the department did not specify the reason. After Geri refused to leave, he was placed under arrest without incident.

Officers said they found vials of liquid and possible fireworks inside of his tent. Members of MPD’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal team and the Arson Task Force responded to the situation to search and secure the belongings. 

The scene was quickly secured but due to the situation, none of the Supreme Court Justices attended the Mass, according to the Catholic Standard.

Power to ‘bring hope’

In his homily, Cardinal Robert McElroy addressed the “men and women of the law” in attendance and said they have the power to “bring hope” amid political violence. 

The arrest outside the cathedral follows a number of recent acts of political violence and the Minnesota and Michigan attacks on houses of worship. 

“It is certainly true that political violence has been a part of our history as a nation and that political dialogue has often been confrontational,” McElroy said in his homily. “But we live at a moment in which politics is tribal, not dialogical, and where party label has become a shorthand for worldview on the most volatile topics in our national life. The result is explosive, within politics, family life, and friendships.”

“As students of the law, as leaders in the law, whether as judges or legislators or public advocates or as counsel, you are by that commitment privileged and obligated to raise the plane of our political and social discussion,” McElroy said. “No group in our society has a greater capacity to remold our political discourse. No group has a deeper calling to bring hope.”

The investigation into the situation at the cathedral is ongoing in coordination with the Joint Terrorism Task Force, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, authorities said.

Young girls hold posters that translate to “Every Life is Important and Precious” at the March for Life in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Oct. 4, 2025. / Credit: Erlendas Bart

Vilnius, Lithuania, Oct 6, 2025 / 13:32 pm (CNA).

The heart of Lithuania’s capital came alive with music, speeches, and powerful personal stories as thousands gathered on Saturday for the “Žygis už gyvybę” (“March for Life”), an event dedicated to celebrating the sanctity of life and raising awareness about the necessity of its protection.

The march drew participants from across Lithuania as well as from neighboring countries including Latvia, Estonia, and Poland.

The event on Oct. 4 began in the early afternoon near the Martynas Mažvydas National Library, drawing a diverse crowd of families, students, activists, artists, and clergy. Promoted by a range of civil and religious organizations, the march focused on affirming the value of every human life.  

Religious figures outside of Lithuania vocalized support of the initiative, including Latvian Catholic Archbishop Zbigņevs Stankevičs of Riga and Latvian Lutheran Bishop Rinalds Grants, both of whom expressed solidarity with the march’s aims. Auxiliary Bishop Saulius Bužauskas of Kaunas, Lithuania, participated in the march in person.

Attendees gathered near the Lithuanian National Library for the event’s opening ceremony, where speakers shared insights from personal, medical, social, and philosophical perspectives. Among them was Dr. Lina Šulcienė, who highlighted the moral and spiritual need for a more compassionate society.

“The depths of our conscience cry out for a path other than the culture of death,” she said. “Our inner humanity calls for a culture of life, one marked by solidarity, genuine compassion, and sensitivity to human beings, respecting their lives.”

Agnieszka Gracz, coordinator of pro-life marches for Poland’s Centrum Życia i Rodziny  (Centre for Life and Family), also addressed the crowd. The Warsaw-based organization has been active for over two decades, advocating for the protection of life, family, and parenthood.

Gracz noted that before the COVID-19 pandemic, the center helped organize an average of 150 marches annually across Polish cities. She spoke about how these public demonstrations have played a key role in promoting the protection of unborn children, particularly those with disabilities. She highlighted that the marches have helped build public support leading up to Poland’s 2020 Constitutional Court ruling, which strengthened legal protections for children diagnosed with disabilities before birth.

After the opening event, the crowd set off in a peaceful procession from the National Library to Vilnius Cathedral Square via Gediminas Avenue, carrying banners and flags with messages of hope and support for families. A commemorative concert and a series of personal testimonies followed.

Among the highlights of the event was a national drawing contest for schoolchildren titled “Aš esu dovana” (“I Am a Gift”). More than 300 submissions were received from across the country. The winning artists were presented awards onstage for their creative reflections on the value of life.

The musical program included performances by well-known artists such as Voldemars Peterson, Dalia and Julius Vaicenavičiai, and popular singer Sasha Song. Performances were accompanied by the personal testimonies of individuals whose lives have been shaped by issues surrounding life and family. International speakers from Latvia and Estonia also addressed the crowd, offering cultural and moral perspectives from across the Baltic region.

Among the speakers at Cathedral Square was lawyer and social activist Dr. Salomėja Fernandez Montojo, who addressed prevailing societal attitudes toward parenthood, stating: “Today, I see how deeply rooted is the idea that having children means losing — losing money, time, career, opportunities, and a good figure. I disagree. Having children is not losing but giving meaning to money, time, energy, opportunities, and beauty.” 

Markus Järvi, editor-in-chief of Estonia’s Objektiiv and one of the speakers, expressed his appreciation for the Vilnius march and the hope that it would inspire similar initiatives throughout the Baltic states.  

Speaking afterward in an interview, he described the limited public discourse on abortion in Estonia as a lingering consequence of the Soviet era, during which abortion was legal and widely practiced. Over time the prevalence of the procedure contributed to its emergence as a social taboo.

“Despite this, many Estonians value marriage and family life,” he said. “We need to break the societal silence on this matter in order to have honest conversations about life.”

He added that both civil society and religious institutions have a role to play in fostering more open and thoughtful dialogue on the issue. In a message directed at young people, he noted that “the sanctity of life and its reverence must be recognized as truth. Search, and you will find it.”

Professor Benas Ulevičius, dean of the faculty of Catholic theology at Vytautas Magnus University, spoke at the event and later in a brief backstage interview reflected on shifting societal values in post-Soviet Lithuania.

“Lithuania during the Soviet occupation was quite isolated,” he said. “After winning independence, the nation went through gradual changes, with more foreign products available, higher salaries, and greater comfort.”

While acknowledging the benefits of economic growth, he noted that it led to people prioritizing careers and wealth over family life and suggested that this shift left some with a sense of emptiness. He encouraged young adults to seek deeper fulfillment through family, which offers a unique kind of joy and happiness that material success alone cannot provide. 

Alongside the main stage program, Cathedral Square hosted a family-friendly educational and creative zone where visitors were invited to explore nongovernmental organization booths, sign petitions, take part in children’s activities, and learn about family support services offered by various participating organizations such as Nacionalinė šeimų ir tėvų asociacija (National Association of Families and Parents), ProLife Vilnius, and more.

The event culminated in a special Mass in Vilnius Cathedral celebrated by Father Deividas Stankevičius.

Organizers and participants expressed optimism that the March for Life in Vilnius will continue to grow in both size and impact. With increasing collaboration between civil, religious, and cultural voices, many said they see this year’s march as a turning point, one that may inspire broader conversations about life, family, and the future of society in Lithuania and across the Baltics.