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Among the new crop of cardinals created by Pope Francis on Dec. 7, Cardinal Mykola Bychok stands out. At 44, he is the youngest cardinal in the world.
Catholic pilgrims have flocked to the Holy House of Loreto since the 14th century to stand inside the walls where tradition holds the Virgin Mary was born.
Pope Francis met with academic staff participating in the International Congress on the Future of Theology “Heritage and Imagination” conference Dec. 9–10.
While he has appointed 78% of electors, factors including limited gatherings and logistical challenges suggest the next conclave’s outcome remains unpredictable.
Pope Francis celebrated the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception with the news cardinals in St. Peter's Basilica, calling Christians to imitate Mary.
The pope also encouraged everyone to “open our hearts and minds to the Lord Jesus, born of Mary Immaculate” as the Church prepares for Jubilee 2025.
Pope Francis marked the Immaculate Conception by visiting to two of Rome's most important Marian sites, followed by an unexpected stop.
The pope highlighted that the term “cardinal” symbolizes a “hinge,” emphasizing their vital role as in holding the Church together.
“Today, sadness and mourning give way to joy, celebration, and praise,” the Holy Father wrote in his message to Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris.
“I am with my heart, and I would say with my whole body, for a synodal vision,” Archbishop Ignace Bessi Dogbo of Abidjan said.
In a message to participants in this year’s conference on popular piety in Seville, Spain, from Dec. 4-8, the pope emphasized the significance of “beauty.”
“Preachers must preach an idea, a feeling, and a call to action. Beyond eight minutes the preaching starts to fade, it is not understood,” Pope Francis said.
Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of December is for pilgrims of hope.
Pope Francis on Sunday addressed cosmic upheavals, modern anxieties, and current conflicts while emphasizing hope and spiritual vigilance.
The letter was delivered by Cardinal Kurt Koch during his visit to Istanbul for the patronal feast of the Orthodox Church.
The Council of Nicaea took place in the ancient city of Nicaea in 325 A.D. in the former Roman Empire, which is now the present-day city of İznik, in northwestern Turkey
Members of the youth ministry at the Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference (SACBC), which includes South Africa, Botswana, and Eswatini, have written to Pope Francis, expressing their gratitude to the Holy Father for his leadership as the Vicar of Christ over the past 11 years.
“Think of the Ukrainian children and young people who suffer at this time without heating in a very harsh winter,” the pope said on Nov. 27, addressing youngsters gathered around him in St. Peter’s Square.
“Next week, with Advent, the Chinese translation will also begin here publicly,” the pope said on Nov. 27 during his general audience in St. Peter’s Square.
Pope Francis has appointed Mons. Constantine Rupiny, currently serving as the rector of the Uganda Martyrs National Major Seminary Alokolum in Gulu as the Local Ordinary of Nebbi Catholic Diocese.