Christianity

Vatican official warns of ‘Christianophobia’ in Muslim world and secular West #Catholic Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu is alarmed about rising hostility toward Christians, both in parts of the Islamic world and in Europe’s increasingly post‑Christian culture.Nwachukwu, who serves as secretary of the Section of First Evangelization at the Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization, told EWTN News that any serious conversation about peace and coexistence must begin with clear condemnation of anti‑Christian violence, particularly from Muslim leaders in places where Christians lack full religious freedom.The Nigerian prelate also warned of a growing cultural aversion to Christianity in the West, where Christian expression is often treated with suspicion even as societies insist on defending the religious symbols of others.Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to visit four countries in Africa, including the Muslim-majority Algeria, on his first apostolic journey to the continent April 13–23.A diplomat urges Muslims to confront anti‑Christian violenceDrawing on decades of diplomatic service in Ghana, Paraguay, Algeria, and Switzerland, Nwachukwu described the anti‑Christian discrimination he witnessed firsthand — experiences he believes continue to be overlooked.“I do not criticize Islam; I criticize the way some people practice their Islam,” he said. “People just shout about Islamophobia, but its main cause is not to be sought in the West. It is to be sought in the way some Muslims practice their religion. We are calling our Muslim friends to condemn the wrong use of their religion as a religion of violence.”He recalled that during his service in Algeria, Christians were openly labeled “enemies of Islam.” In one incident, a shopkeeper refused to serve him because he was wearing a Roman collar.“Christians still do not have full liberty to practice their religion,” he said.A West increasingly uncomfortable with its Christian rootsBut Nwachukwu also directed sharp criticism toward Europe, where he sees a growing reluctance to defend Christianity even as Western societies emphasize religious tolerance.“Everybody denounces Islamophobia, but nobody denounces Christianophobia,” he said. “We are in a post‑Christian Europe and a post‑Christian West.”He noted that Christian symbols face discrimination not applied to other religions: “You enter a hall and see a symbol of Buddhism — nobody touches it. You see a Muslim in a hijab — nobody says to remove it. But you see a cross, and they say, ‘Remove it.’ Why?”This, he argued, reflects a cultural embarrassment about Europe’s Christian heritage:“It is like feeling guilty for having a mother who is ugly and then forgetting that she also has rights. The Christianity that gave them their education, culture, and society — they now feel uncomfortable with it.”Reverse missionaries and a hopeful response to Europe’s secular driftNwachukwu said this situation makes the growing presence of African and Asian missionaries in Europe all the more significant, as a hopeful sign that the global Church can help rekindle the continent’s Christian identity.“The West often forgets that we are the result of sacrifices made by their own brothers and sisters who became missionaries,” he said. “But the sheaves — the children of those missionaries — are now returning.”Nwachukwu described this movement as a gift that can strengthen Western Christianity in places where secularism has taken deep root.“We want to see the mother Churches in Europe accept and be proud of their missionary children from the global south.”Encouragement for persecuted ChristiansTo Christians facing persecution — whether under hostile regimes, extremist movements, or secular cultural pressures — Nwachukwu offered a message of strength: “If you are encountering persecution, it means that the message you have is important. If your message were not important, people wouldn’t even think of you. So, the message is: Do not feel you are alone. Know what you are worth.”
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Vatican official warns of ‘Christianophobia’ in Muslim world and secular West #Catholic Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu is alarmed about rising hostility toward Christians, both in parts of the Islamic world and in Europe’s increasingly post‑Christian culture.Nwachukwu, who serves as secretary of the Section of First Evangelization at the Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization, told EWTN News that any serious conversation about peace and coexistence must begin with clear condemnation of anti‑Christian violence, particularly from Muslim leaders in places where Christians lack full religious freedom.The Nigerian prelate also warned of a growing cultural aversion to Christianity in the West, where Christian expression is often treated with suspicion even as societies insist on defending the religious symbols of others.Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to visit four countries in Africa, including the Muslim-majority Algeria, on his first apostolic journey to the continent April 13–23.A diplomat urges Muslims to confront anti‑Christian violenceDrawing on decades of diplomatic service in Ghana, Paraguay, Algeria, and Switzerland, Nwachukwu described the anti‑Christian discrimination he witnessed firsthand — experiences he believes continue to be overlooked.“I do not criticize Islam; I criticize the way some people practice their Islam,” he said. “People just shout about Islamophobia, but its main cause is not to be sought in the West. It is to be sought in the way some Muslims practice their religion. We are calling our Muslim friends to condemn the wrong use of their religion as a religion of violence.”He recalled that during his service in Algeria, Christians were openly labeled “enemies of Islam.” In one incident, a shopkeeper refused to serve him because he was wearing a Roman collar.“Christians still do not have full liberty to practice their religion,” he said.A West increasingly uncomfortable with its Christian rootsBut Nwachukwu also directed sharp criticism toward Europe, where he sees a growing reluctance to defend Christianity even as Western societies emphasize religious tolerance.“Everybody denounces Islamophobia, but nobody denounces Christianophobia,” he said. “We are in a post‑Christian Europe and a post‑Christian West.”He noted that Christian symbols face discrimination not applied to other religions: “You enter a hall and see a symbol of Buddhism — nobody touches it. You see a Muslim in a hijab — nobody says to remove it. But you see a cross, and they say, ‘Remove it.’ Why?”This, he argued, reflects a cultural embarrassment about Europe’s Christian heritage:“It is like feeling guilty for having a mother who is ugly and then forgetting that she also has rights. The Christianity that gave them their education, culture, and society — they now feel uncomfortable with it.”Reverse missionaries and a hopeful response to Europe’s secular driftNwachukwu said this situation makes the growing presence of African and Asian missionaries in Europe all the more significant, as a hopeful sign that the global Church can help rekindle the continent’s Christian identity.“The West often forgets that we are the result of sacrifices made by their own brothers and sisters who became missionaries,” he said. “But the sheaves — the children of those missionaries — are now returning.”Nwachukwu described this movement as a gift that can strengthen Western Christianity in places where secularism has taken deep root.“We want to see the mother Churches in Europe accept and be proud of their missionary children from the global south.”Encouragement for persecuted ChristiansTo Christians facing persecution — whether under hostile regimes, extremist movements, or secular cultural pressures — Nwachukwu offered a message of strength: “If you are encountering persecution, it means that the message you have is important. If your message were not important, people wouldn’t even think of you. So, the message is: Do not feel you are alone. Know what you are worth.”

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A Nigerian archbishop said African missionaries can evangelize a Europe uneasy with its Christian past.

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Picture of the day Saint Joseph depicted holding a staff with lily blossoms and the Christ Child on a stained-glass window in the Saint Antony church in Urtijëi. Today is St. Joseph’s feast day in Western Christianity. #ImageOfTheDay
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Picture of the day Saint Joseph depicted holding a staff with lily blossoms and the Christ Child on a stained-glass window in the Saint Antony church in Urtijëi. Today is St. Joseph’s feast day in Western Christianity. #ImageOfTheDay

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Picture of the day
Saint Joseph depicted holding a staff with lily blossoms and the Christ Child on a stained-glass window in the Saint Antony church in Urtijëi. Today is St. Joseph’s feast day in Western Christianity.
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Ireland sees modest revival in faith, especially among youth and young adults #Catholic An increase in spirituality and religious practice among young adults in Ireland aged 18 to 30 and confirmation that Ireland is in the “middle range” of religious countries in Europe are among the trends identified in a new report published by the Irish Catholic bishops titled “Turning the Tide.”Archbishop Eamon Martin of Armagh, primate of all Ireland, told EWTN News: “There has been a lot of talk recently about the so-called quiet revival in religious practice in recent years. The [report] looks at some of the research studies that have been carried out north and south of the island of Ireland into religious practice, religious awareness and spirituality, and interest in religion, and asks a question by comparing this with European social studies: Is there actually any uptake [in] religious practice and awareness and interest in Ireland?”Drawing on research from the European Social Survey, the Iona Institute’s two recent surveys conducted by Amárach Research, and a variety of relevant academic studies, the report seeks to provide an integrated, relevant, and current look at religious practice in Ireland.“The report very interestingly points to some type of uptick, as they call it, particularly among young people around the ages of 16 to 30 and the fact that they are taking a new interest in religion and in spirituality.”Encouraged by the positive trends emerging across different studies, Martin sounded a note of caution, highlighting the challenges that these findings pose for the Catholic Church in Ireland.“I don’t think we should get ourselves too enthusiastic thinking this is a complete reversal of the very obvious decline and religious practice over the last 10 or 20 years,” he said. “However, it is saying something on the turning tide.”The archbishop pointed to the implications for the Irish Church: “It’s asking us to reflect on this phenomenon in the light of research, and for instance what does this mean for us as Church, as parishes, as dioceses? How are we responding to this growing body of young people who want to know more more about God, about church, and about religion?”The report, co-authored by Stephen Bullivant, professor of theology and the sociology of religion at St. Mary’s University, Twickenham, and Emily Nelson, a doctoral student of sociology at Queen’s University Belfast, examined the overall religious profile of the island of Ireland, including areas of convergence and divergence between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.The authors drew together research studies on patterns in belief, practice, and religious identification between generations, with particular attention to differences within young adult cohorts. The work also provided insight on  dimensions of religiosity, religious transmission, and attitudes toward Church teaching and institutions among both men and women.Ireland remains among the more religious countries in Europe, on measures of religious affiliation, religious service attendance, and frequency of prayer. Among western European countries, it is one of few outliers with a relatively high level of overall religiosity. It also ranks toward the higher end of (especially western) European countries on measures of weekly Mass attendance and daily prayer.While key measures of Irish religiosity have declined significantly since the European Social Survey began in 2002-2003, the most recent round in 2023-2024 shows a strong uptick in religious affiliation and religious practice.This effect is most strongly evident among those aged 16–29 years, across both Catholics and Protestants.Northern Ireland is both the most religious region of the United Kingdom, by a large margin, and the most religious part of the island of Ireland, in terms of both affiliation and religious practice.Although women in the Republic of Ireland are equally as likely as men to be religious, they continue to play an influential role in transmitting faith, even as they express higher levels of moral dissent and institutional dissatisfaction. The report revealed that 74% of Irish Catholic women were found to believe that the Church did not treat them with “a lot of respect.”According to the report, 51% of Irish adults — and 27% of Irish young adults —pray at least once a week, and 31% say they attend Mass at least once a week, placing them fourth overall, alongside Italy (32%) but well behind Poland (49%) and Slovakia (46%).There is a significant drop-off among young adults, whose reported religious practice is roughly half that of older adults. Irish 16- to 29-year-olds rank sixth overall compared with other countries, at 17%, though that is at least double the rates of the same age group in Switzerland, Germany, and Belgium, at 5%, and in Austria with less than 1%.The Irish report also pointed to a 2023 Barna study that found in certain respects, Irish teens are more religious than their global peers. Just over 3 in 5 (62%) Irish teens identify as Christian with nearly a third identify as atheist, agnostic, or of no faith.On average, 18- to 24-year-olds in the Republic of Ireland aren’t particularly positive about both Christianity and the Catholic Church in Ireland, but they are more positive than those in the 25–34 age range, and fewer have a negative attitude toward priests and nuns.In 2023, EWTN News’ Colm Flynn traveled to Ireland with the question “Is Ireland still Catholic?” He explored the various reasons for the decline of the faith in Ireland and the challenges the Church faces there today. In the three years since, and after many emails and messages pointing to signs of a “quiet revival” of faith in Ireland, Flynn recently returned to the country to explore those signs of renewal. In his report, he refers to the “Turning the Tide” report:
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Ireland sees modest revival in faith, especially among youth and young adults #Catholic An increase in spirituality and religious practice among young adults in Ireland aged 18 to 30 and confirmation that Ireland is in the “middle range” of religious countries in Europe are among the trends identified in a new report published by the Irish Catholic bishops titled “Turning the Tide.”Archbishop Eamon Martin of Armagh, primate of all Ireland, told EWTN News: “There has been a lot of talk recently about the so-called quiet revival in religious practice in recent years. The [report] looks at some of the research studies that have been carried out north and south of the island of Ireland into religious practice, religious awareness and spirituality, and interest in religion, and asks a question by comparing this with European social studies: Is there actually any uptake [in] religious practice and awareness and interest in Ireland?”Drawing on research from the European Social Survey, the Iona Institute’s two recent surveys conducted by Amárach Research, and a variety of relevant academic studies, the report seeks to provide an integrated, relevant, and current look at religious practice in Ireland.“The report very interestingly points to some type of uptick, as they call it, particularly among young people around the ages of 16 to 30 and the fact that they are taking a new interest in religion and in spirituality.”Encouraged by the positive trends emerging across different studies, Martin sounded a note of caution, highlighting the challenges that these findings pose for the Catholic Church in Ireland.“I don’t think we should get ourselves too enthusiastic thinking this is a complete reversal of the very obvious decline and religious practice over the last 10 or 20 years,” he said. “However, it is saying something on the turning tide.”The archbishop pointed to the implications for the Irish Church: “It’s asking us to reflect on this phenomenon in the light of research, and for instance what does this mean for us as Church, as parishes, as dioceses? How are we responding to this growing body of young people who want to know more more about God, about church, and about religion?”The report, co-authored by Stephen Bullivant, professor of theology and the sociology of religion at St. Mary’s University, Twickenham, and Emily Nelson, a doctoral student of sociology at Queen’s University Belfast, examined the overall religious profile of the island of Ireland, including areas of convergence and divergence between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.The authors drew together research studies on patterns in belief, practice, and religious identification between generations, with particular attention to differences within young adult cohorts. The work also provided insight on  dimensions of religiosity, religious transmission, and attitudes toward Church teaching and institutions among both men and women.Ireland remains among the more religious countries in Europe, on measures of religious affiliation, religious service attendance, and frequency of prayer. Among western European countries, it is one of few outliers with a relatively high level of overall religiosity. It also ranks toward the higher end of (especially western) European countries on measures of weekly Mass attendance and daily prayer.While key measures of Irish religiosity have declined significantly since the European Social Survey began in 2002-2003, the most recent round in 2023-2024 shows a strong uptick in religious affiliation and religious practice.This effect is most strongly evident among those aged 16–29 years, across both Catholics and Protestants.Northern Ireland is both the most religious region of the United Kingdom, by a large margin, and the most religious part of the island of Ireland, in terms of both affiliation and religious practice.Although women in the Republic of Ireland are equally as likely as men to be religious, they continue to play an influential role in transmitting faith, even as they express higher levels of moral dissent and institutional dissatisfaction. The report revealed that 74% of Irish Catholic women were found to believe that the Church did not treat them with “a lot of respect.”According to the report, 51% of Irish adults — and 27% of Irish young adults —pray at least once a week, and 31% say they attend Mass at least once a week, placing them fourth overall, alongside Italy (32%) but well behind Poland (49%) and Slovakia (46%).There is a significant drop-off among young adults, whose reported religious practice is roughly half that of older adults. Irish 16- to 29-year-olds rank sixth overall compared with other countries, at 17%, though that is at least double the rates of the same age group in Switzerland, Germany, and Belgium, at 5%, and in Austria with less than 1%.The Irish report also pointed to a 2023 Barna study that found in certain respects, Irish teens are more religious than their global peers. Just over 3 in 5 (62%) Irish teens identify as Christian with nearly a third identify as atheist, agnostic, or of no faith.On average, 18- to 24-year-olds in the Republic of Ireland aren’t particularly positive about both Christianity and the Catholic Church in Ireland, but they are more positive than those in the 25–34 age range, and fewer have a negative attitude toward priests and nuns.In 2023, EWTN News’ Colm Flynn traveled to Ireland with the question “Is Ireland still Catholic?” He explored the various reasons for the decline of the faith in Ireland and the challenges the Church faces there today. In the three years since, and after many emails and messages pointing to signs of a “quiet revival” of faith in Ireland, Flynn recently returned to the country to explore those signs of renewal. In his report, he refers to the “Turning the Tide” report:

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A new report examining surveys and research on the practice of the Catholic faith in Ireland shows an uptick in religious practice and spirituality among younger people.

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Collection for the Holy Land: Christians need concrete hope, not just consoling words #Catholic Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches, called upon the faithful worldwide to participate in the Good Friday collection aimed at assisting Christian communities in the Holy Land.The Good Friday collection is one of the primary sources of support for the Custody of the Holy Land — the Franciscan institution that for centuries has safeguarded the sites connected to the life of Jesus Christ and accompanied the Christian communities living in the region.The prefect called upon the faithful around the world to respond with a concrete gesture of solidarity. “I wish to propose a small gesture to you: to offer a little of our money to help our brothers and sisters who find themselves in extreme peril to live one more day, to find hope, and to find the possibility of starting anew.”“How many times have I personally visited those Christian minorities who wake up every morning facing the danger of no longer having a place to exist!” Gugerotti wrote in the March 18 letter, which was also signed by the dicastery’s secretary, Archbishop Michel Jalakh.“Help us to offer them concrete hope, not merely words of consolation — for we who visit them will leave, while they remain with their fears, even with the terror that, precisely because they are Christians, they may be eliminated,” the cardinal stated. The cardinal explained that the Good Friday donations hold a twofold significance: on the one hand, providing material aid to those living amid war and poverty, and on the other, challenging the conscience of the faithful.“It is also vital for us, because without sacrifice, without a real change in our way of living, we risk remaining inert before a world in flames — and thus complicit in its destruction,” he said. Gugerotti noted that many Christians in the Holy Land have lost their means of livelihood, especially those who depended on religious tourism, which historically sustained a large portion of the local economy. The conflict that began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel, triggered a sharp decline in religious tourism.“A great many Christians in the Holy Land have lost everything, even the work that came from serving pilgrims,” he pointed out.In early 2025, Israel’s Ministry of Tourism characterized the year as a turning point, with 1.3 million international arrivals. However, 2026 has once again proven to be a highly problematic year for pilgrimages primarily due to the military escalation by the United States and Israel against Iran, which has thrown the entire region into crisis.The drastic reduction in pilgrimages and the current climate of insecurity have  exacerbated the situation. “Now, out of fear, almost everyone tends to avoid venturing into those lands,” he said.What is done with the money collected?In 2023 — the most recent year for which official data are available — the Holy Land collection raised 6,571,893 euros (.5 million). The Custody of the Holy Land typically receives 65% of the proceeds, while the remaining 35% goes to the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches, which uses it for the formation of priests and for subsidies to the various dioceses and eparchies in Palestine, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, and Iraq.Of the money it receives, the Custody of the Holy Land normally invests 20% in the upkeep of the sites where Jesus Christ walked, while the remainder goes to Christian families, who, in 1948, constituted 20% of the local population but now make up less than 1.4%.In the Gaza Strip, it collaborates with the Latin parish and the Atfa-Luna association to provide psycho-social support “to some 1,000 children and 300 adults,” as well as to distribute emergency kits and aid to families of people with disabilities.In Lebanon, the Church responded to the 2024 crisis (the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah) by providing “hot meals for some 500 beneficiaries every day” and ensuring “drinking water for about 250 people daily.” The Custody of the Holy Land also manages hundreds of housing units at nominal rents to prevent emigration.“It has been said that peace has been achieved; however, even though the media speak of it much less today than before, the shooting continues, people continue to die, lands remain disputed, and Christians continue to emigrate to save their lives,” the cardinal noted.According to the 2023 data released by the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches, 2,376,167 euros (.7 million) was donated to seminaries, houses of religious formation, and cultural institutions. The Franciscan Custody allocated more than 2 million euros (.3 million) to the education of young people in the Holy Land in 2023, funding scholarships at various universities in the region. Nearly 1 million euros (.15 million) were allocated to the Pontifical Oriental Institute, which now encompasses, at Pope Francis’ direction, the Pontifical Gregorian University.A portion was also invested in Bethlehem University, one of the prestigious foundations that underwrites the academic studies of 3,300 young people, both Muslim and Christian, with the aim of educating them to build a future of peace in the Holy Land.A concrete gesture: Giving is a ‘strong sign of faith’In his message, the cardinal invited bishops and pastoral leaders to raise awareness among the faithful regarding the importance of sustaining the Christian presence in the places where Christianity was born.“Let us ensure that our people approach the collection with the awareness that giving is a strong sign of faith,” he wrote. “A Holy Land without believers is a lost land, for the living memory of salvation is lost,” he added.“Pope Leo XIV never ceases to bring to our minds and hearts this commitment to be one, so that there may be peace — not a provisional truce, not perpetual hatred, not an immense expenditure on armaments, but a contribution to our common rebirth,” the cardinal wrote.The prelate concluded his letter by acknowledging that the collection would be merely “a drop in the ocean” but that “the ocean, as a result of losing its drops, is turning into a desert.”In addition to supporting the Franciscan mission in the Holy Land to safeguard the holy places, sustain local Christian communities, and foster peace in the region where Jesus lived, the cardinal said Christians can actively contribute by offering prayers to support this work and inspire new vocations, or by undertaking a pilgrimage to discover the roots of Christianity.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Collection for the Holy Land: Christians need concrete hope, not just consoling words #Catholic Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches, called upon the faithful worldwide to participate in the Good Friday collection aimed at assisting Christian communities in the Holy Land.The Good Friday collection is one of the primary sources of support for the Custody of the Holy Land — the Franciscan institution that for centuries has safeguarded the sites connected to the life of Jesus Christ and accompanied the Christian communities living in the region.The prefect called upon the faithful around the world to respond with a concrete gesture of solidarity. “I wish to propose a small gesture to you: to offer a little of our money to help our brothers and sisters who find themselves in extreme peril to live one more day, to find hope, and to find the possibility of starting anew.”“How many times have I personally visited those Christian minorities who wake up every morning facing the danger of no longer having a place to exist!” Gugerotti wrote in the March 18 letter, which was also signed by the dicastery’s secretary, Archbishop Michel Jalakh.“Help us to offer them concrete hope, not merely words of consolation — for we who visit them will leave, while they remain with their fears, even with the terror that, precisely because they are Christians, they may be eliminated,” the cardinal stated. The cardinal explained that the Good Friday donations hold a twofold significance: on the one hand, providing material aid to those living amid war and poverty, and on the other, challenging the conscience of the faithful.“It is also vital for us, because without sacrifice, without a real change in our way of living, we risk remaining inert before a world in flames — and thus complicit in its destruction,” he said. Gugerotti noted that many Christians in the Holy Land have lost their means of livelihood, especially those who depended on religious tourism, which historically sustained a large portion of the local economy. The conflict that began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel, triggered a sharp decline in religious tourism.“A great many Christians in the Holy Land have lost everything, even the work that came from serving pilgrims,” he pointed out.In early 2025, Israel’s Ministry of Tourism characterized the year as a turning point, with 1.3 million international arrivals. However, 2026 has once again proven to be a highly problematic year for pilgrimages primarily due to the military escalation by the United States and Israel against Iran, which has thrown the entire region into crisis.The drastic reduction in pilgrimages and the current climate of insecurity have  exacerbated the situation. “Now, out of fear, almost everyone tends to avoid venturing into those lands,” he said.What is done with the money collected?In 2023 — the most recent year for which official data are available — the Holy Land collection raised 6,571,893 euros ($7.5 million). The Custody of the Holy Land typically receives 65% of the proceeds, while the remaining 35% goes to the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches, which uses it for the formation of priests and for subsidies to the various dioceses and eparchies in Palestine, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, and Iraq.Of the money it receives, the Custody of the Holy Land normally invests 20% in the upkeep of the sites where Jesus Christ walked, while the remainder goes to Christian families, who, in 1948, constituted 20% of the local population but now make up less than 1.4%.In the Gaza Strip, it collaborates with the Latin parish and the Atfa-Luna association to provide psycho-social support “to some 1,000 children and 300 adults,” as well as to distribute emergency kits and aid to families of people with disabilities.In Lebanon, the Church responded to the 2024 crisis (the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah) by providing “hot meals for some 500 beneficiaries every day” and ensuring “drinking water for about 250 people daily.” The Custody of the Holy Land also manages hundreds of housing units at nominal rents to prevent emigration.“It has been said that peace has been achieved; however, even though the media speak of it much less today than before, the shooting continues, people continue to die, lands remain disputed, and Christians continue to emigrate to save their lives,” the cardinal noted.According to the 2023 data released by the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches, 2,376,167 euros ($2.7 million) was donated to seminaries, houses of religious formation, and cultural institutions. The Franciscan Custody allocated more than 2 million euros ($2.3 million) to the education of young people in the Holy Land in 2023, funding scholarships at various universities in the region. Nearly 1 million euros ($1.15 million) were allocated to the Pontifical Oriental Institute, which now encompasses, at Pope Francis’ direction, the Pontifical Gregorian University.A portion was also invested in Bethlehem University, one of the prestigious foundations that underwrites the academic studies of 3,300 young people, both Muslim and Christian, with the aim of educating them to build a future of peace in the Holy Land.A concrete gesture: Giving is a ‘strong sign of faith’In his message, the cardinal invited bishops and pastoral leaders to raise awareness among the faithful regarding the importance of sustaining the Christian presence in the places where Christianity was born.“Let us ensure that our people approach the collection with the awareness that giving is a strong sign of faith,” he wrote. “A Holy Land without believers is a lost land, for the living memory of salvation is lost,” he added.“Pope Leo XIV never ceases to bring to our minds and hearts this commitment to be one, so that there may be peace — not a provisional truce, not perpetual hatred, not an immense expenditure on armaments, but a contribution to our common rebirth,” the cardinal wrote.The prelate concluded his letter by acknowledging that the collection would be merely “a drop in the ocean” but that “the ocean, as a result of losing its drops, is turning into a desert.”In addition to supporting the Franciscan mission in the Holy Land to safeguard the holy places, sustain local Christian communities, and foster peace in the region where Jesus lived, the cardinal said Christians can actively contribute by offering prayers to support this work and inspire new vocations, or by undertaking a pilgrimage to discover the roots of Christianity.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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Now more than ever, the Christian minority in the Holy Land needs the support it receives through the annual Good Friday collection as ongoing violence in the Middle East has curtailed pilgrimages.

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‘Biblical Roots’: Picasso’s spiritual ‘sensibilities’ on display at Burgos Cathedral #Catholic The Burgos Cathedral in Spain is hosting an exhibition of 44 works by Pablo Picasso titled “Biblical Roots,” which explores the biblical essence and Christian origins present in the Spanish painter’s work.Among those attending the March 2 opening of the exhibit were Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education, Queen Sofía, and Bernard Ruiz-Picasso, the artist’s grandson and president of the Bernard Ruiz-Picasso Foundation for Art (FABA, by its Spanish acronym).The cardinal emphasized during the opening that half a century after the artist’s death, “one of the least examined dimensions of Pablo Picasso is his radical exploration of transcendence,” according to a statement from the Archdiocese of Burgos. The cardinal also remarked that though the artist declared he had no faith, “he never abandoned the symbolic foundation of biblical and Christian tradition,” which constitutes “a generative tension throughout his work.” Queen Sofía at the exhibition in Burgos Cathedral. | Credit: Archdiocese of Burgos He said the Bible was for Picasso a “profound structure” of his sensibility, “an inner interpretive key forged in the sensory experience of the liturgy and the sacred Catholic imagery of his childhood.”He emphasized that in many of Picasso’s works, “the body of Christ becomes an archetype of human suffering,” particularly visible in the painting “Guernica,” “where the rhetoric of sacred iconography emerges as a language of pain.”For the cardinal, this exhibition also constitutes “an exemplary act of cultural dialogue: The cathedral and Picasso are not viewed as separate entities, but rather they challenge and illuminate each other by addressing the ultimate questions about meaning, suffering, and fraternity.”On behalf of Pope Leo XIV, he encouraged continued promotion of an authentic dialogue between Christianity and contemporary culture, “convinced that the artistic experience demands taking a broad view capable of recognizing the spiritual depth that dwells even in those who do not profess to be believers.” The opening of the exhibition — organized by the Archdiocese of Burgos, the Metropolitan Chapter, the FABA Foundation, and the Burgos Consulate of the Sea Foundation — was also attended by the vicar general of the archdiocese, Father Carlos Izquierdo Yusta, and Archbishop Emeritus Fidel Herráez Vegas, as well as other local officials.For Archbishop Mario Iceta of Burgos, the exhibition “constitutes a new milestone in the cathedral’s historical dialogue with culture.”He also recalled that the Burgos Cathedral, since the laying of its foundation stone by King St. Ferdinand (1199–1252), “has integrated all artistic styles throughout the centuries like a living organism,” and that today it also seeks to open itself up to contemporary culture through the work Picasso, a “leading and highly influential” artist.The artist’s grandson emphasized that the exhibition also has a profound meaning for the Ruiz-Picasso family, since “the artist visited the church ‘incognito’ in 1936, accompanied by his wife and son,” in what would be his last visit to Spain.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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‘Biblical Roots’: Picasso’s spiritual ‘sensibilities’ on display at Burgos Cathedral #Catholic The Burgos Cathedral in Spain is hosting an exhibition of 44 works by Pablo Picasso titled “Biblical Roots,” which explores the biblical essence and Christian origins present in the Spanish painter’s work.Among those attending the March 2 opening of the exhibit were Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education, Queen Sofía, and Bernard Ruiz-Picasso, the artist’s grandson and president of the Bernard Ruiz-Picasso Foundation for Art (FABA, by its Spanish acronym).The cardinal emphasized during the opening that half a century after the artist’s death, “one of the least examined dimensions of Pablo Picasso is his radical exploration of transcendence,” according to a statement from the Archdiocese of Burgos. The cardinal also remarked that though the artist declared he had no faith, “he never abandoned the symbolic foundation of biblical and Christian tradition,” which constitutes “a generative tension throughout his work.” Queen Sofía at the exhibition in Burgos Cathedral. | Credit: Archdiocese of Burgos He said the Bible was for Picasso a “profound structure” of his sensibility, “an inner interpretive key forged in the sensory experience of the liturgy and the sacred Catholic imagery of his childhood.”He emphasized that in many of Picasso’s works, “the body of Christ becomes an archetype of human suffering,” particularly visible in the painting “Guernica,” “where the rhetoric of sacred iconography emerges as a language of pain.”For the cardinal, this exhibition also constitutes “an exemplary act of cultural dialogue: The cathedral and Picasso are not viewed as separate entities, but rather they challenge and illuminate each other by addressing the ultimate questions about meaning, suffering, and fraternity.”On behalf of Pope Leo XIV, he encouraged continued promotion of an authentic dialogue between Christianity and contemporary culture, “convinced that the artistic experience demands taking a broad view capable of recognizing the spiritual depth that dwells even in those who do not profess to be believers.” The opening of the exhibition — organized by the Archdiocese of Burgos, the Metropolitan Chapter, the FABA Foundation, and the Burgos Consulate of the Sea Foundation — was also attended by the vicar general of the archdiocese, Father Carlos Izquierdo Yusta, and Archbishop Emeritus Fidel Herráez Vegas, as well as other local officials.For Archbishop Mario Iceta of Burgos, the exhibition “constitutes a new milestone in the cathedral’s historical dialogue with culture.”He also recalled that the Burgos Cathedral, since the laying of its foundation stone by King St. Ferdinand (1199–1252), “has integrated all artistic styles throughout the centuries like a living organism,” and that today it also seeks to open itself up to contemporary culture through the work Picasso, a “leading and highly influential” artist.The artist’s grandson emphasized that the exhibition also has a profound meaning for the Ruiz-Picasso family, since “the artist visited the church ‘incognito’ in 1936, accompanied by his wife and son,” in what would be his last visit to Spain.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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While Pablo Picasso was a professed atheist, a new exhibit in Spain highlights the spiritual sensibilities of his art.

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Picture of the day The main altar of Santa Maria della Pace church in Brescia features the altarpiece Presentation at Temple by Pompeo Batoni. The tympanum sculptures are by Antonio Calegari. Celebrated as Candlemas in some places, this event in the life of Jesus is observed today in much of Eastern and Western Christianity. #ImageOfTheDay
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Picture of the day The main altar of Santa Maria della Pace church in Brescia features the altarpiece Presentation at Temple by Pompeo Batoni. The tympanum sculptures are by Antonio Calegari. Celebrated as Candlemas in some places, this event in the life of Jesus is observed today in much of Eastern and Western Christianity. #ImageOfTheDay

unitedyam
Picture of the day
The main altar of Santa Maria della Pace church in Brescia features the altarpiece Presentation at Temple by Pompeo Batoni. The tympanum sculptures are by Antonio Calegari. Celebrated as Candlemas in some places, this event in the life of Jesus is observed today in much of Eastern and Western Christianity.
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Picture of the day The ceiling mosaic in the Baptistry of Neon in Ravenna, Italy depicts the Baptism of Jesus. Built around 6th century A.D., the building is a UNESCO World heritage site. Today is the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord in much of Western Christianity. #ImageOfTheDay
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Picture of the day The ceiling mosaic in the Baptistry of Neon in Ravenna, Italy depicts the Baptism of Jesus. Built around 6th century A.D., the building is a UNESCO World heritage site. Today is the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord in much of Western Christianity. #ImageOfTheDay

unitedyam
Picture of the day
The ceiling mosaic in the Baptistry of Neon in Ravenna, Italy depicts the Baptism of Jesus. Built around 6th century A.D., the building is a UNESCO World heritage site. Today is the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord in much of Western Christianity.
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Picture of the day St. Nicholas the Wonderworker Church (1766) was relocated from the village of Glotovo, Vladimir Oblast to the Museum of Wooden Architecture at the Kremlin in Suzdal, Russia. Today is Saint Nicholas Day in much of Eastern and Western Christianity. #ImageOfTheDay
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Picture of the day St. Nicholas the Wonderworker Church (1766) was relocated from the village of Glotovo, Vladimir Oblast to the Museum of Wooden Architecture at the Kremlin in Suzdal, Russia. Today is Saint Nicholas Day in much of Eastern and Western Christianity. #ImageOfTheDay

unitedyam
Picture of the day
St. Nicholas the Wonderworker Church (1766) was relocated from the village of Glotovo, Vladimir Oblast to the Museum of Wooden Architecture at the Kremlin in Suzdal, Russia. Today is Saint Nicholas Day in much of Eastern and Western Christianity.
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Picture of the day This painting on the ceiling in Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini, a church on Via Veneto in Rome, depicts the Virgin Mary being assumed body and soul into heaven. Today is the Feast of the Assumption of Mary in much of Western Christianity or the Dormition of the Mother of God in Eastern Christianity. #ImageOfTheDay
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Picture of the day This painting on the ceiling in Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini, a church on Via Veneto in Rome, depicts the Virgin Mary being assumed body and soul into heaven. Today is the Feast of the Assumption of Mary in much of Western Christianity or the Dormition of the Mother of God in Eastern Christianity. #ImageOfTheDay

unitedyam
Picture of the day
This painting on the ceiling in Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini, a church on Via Veneto in Rome, depicts the Virgin Mary being assumed body and soul into heaven. Today is the Feast of the Assumption of Mary in much of Western Christianity or the Dormition of the Mother of God in Eastern Christianity.
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Picture of the day This stained glass window located in the Basilica of St. James and St. Agnes, a church in Nysa, Poland, depicts angels adoring the sacred host and wine during an epiclesis to the Holy Spirit, represented as a dove. Today is the Feast of Corpus Christi, which is observed as a religious celebration in much of Western Christianity and as a public holiday in various nations. #ImageOfTheDay
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Picture of the day This stained glass window located in the Basilica of St. James and St. Agnes, a church in Nysa, Poland, depicts angels adoring the sacred host and wine during an epiclesis to the Holy Spirit, represented as a dove. Today is the Feast of Corpus Christi, which is observed as a religious celebration in much of Western Christianity and as a public holiday in various nations. #ImageOfTheDay

unitedyam
Picture of the day
This stained glass window located in the Basilica of St. James and St. Agnes, a church in Nysa, Poland, depicts angels adoring the sacred host and wine during an epiclesis to the Holy Spirit, represented as a dove. Today is the Feast of Corpus Christi, which is observed as a religious celebration in much of Western Christianity and as a public holiday in various nations.
Read More