Vatican City: Some slept, some squirmed, some smiled and some screamed. And a few were named Francesco or Francesca.Pope Francis welcomed 13 boys and 13 girls into the Catholic Church today during the annual ceremony that marks the day in the liturgical calendar when Jesus was baptized. Gurgles and wailsContinue Reading
A German historical institute is launching an annotated edition of “Mein Kampf,” the first version of Adolf Hitler’s notorious manifesto to be published in Germany since the end of World War II. Bavaria’s state Finance Ministry had previously prevented the book’s publication, but its copyright expired 70 years after theContinue Reading
London: In a shocking low even by the standards of the Islamic State, a militant has publicly executed his own mother after accusing her of apostasy. The activist group Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently (RIBSS) said 20-year-old jihadi Ali Saqr al-Qasem shot his mother Lena, 45, in the head withContinue Reading
Vatican City: The Pope’s first-ever video message on his monthly prayer intentions was released Tuesday, highlighting the importance of interreligious dialogue and the beliefs different faith traditions hold in common, such as the figure of God and love. “Many think differently, feel differently, seeking God or meeting God in differentContinue Reading
Pope Francis’ monthly prayers will soon broadcast on social media so Catholics around the world can watch his message and pray with him, a Jesuit-led prayer coalition has announced. The Jesuit-led Apostleship of Prayer program announced on Vatican Radio this week that starting on Jan. 6 the pontiff’s monthly prayerContinue Reading
Jerusalem: Roman Catholic officials said Tuesday that a Franciscan priest who had been abducted by militants in Syria has been freed. The custodian of the Catholic Church’s properties in the Holy Land said the priest, Father Dhiya Azziz, was released late Monday. The office of the custodian, Rev. Pierbattista Pizzaballa, saidContinue Reading
Tehran: Saudi Arabia will pay “a high price” for executing prominent Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr on Saturday, Iran’s foreign ministry said. Ministry spokesman Hossein Jaber Ansari strongly condemned the execution, which came after his Shia country repeatedly asked its Sunni-ruled rival to pardon the cleric, The Times of India reported.Continue Reading
The change, announced in October by the ruling Communist Party, took effect from January 1, 2016Continue Reading
Vatican City: Pope Francis shed his floor-length white coat before leading a New Year’s Eve service at the Vatican Thursday. Speaking at St. Peter’s Basilica, he said it is difficult to forget “so many days marked by violence, by death, by the unspeakable suffering of so many innocents” but urgedContinue Reading
Pope said he always enjoyed to see the butchers at their trade in their market stalls in Buenos Aires during his childhoodContinue Reading
