Church

Pope Leo XIV accepts resignation of Spanish bishop accused of abuse

Pope Leo XIV on Saturday accepted the resignation of an ailing Spanish bishop who is under church investigation for allegedly sexually abusing a young seminarian in the 1990s, the first known time the new pontiff removed a bishop accused of abuse. A one-line statement from the Vatican said Leo had accepted the resignation of Cadiz Bishop Rafael Zornoza, 76. It didn't say why, but Zornoza submitted his resignation to the pope last year when he turned 75, the normal retirement age for bishops. It hadn't been accepted, though, until the El Pas newspaper reported earlier this month that Zornoza had been recently placed under investigation by a church tribunal. The daily, which since 2018 has exposed decades of abuse and cover-up in the Spanish Catholic Church, said Zornoza was accused of abusing a young former seminarian while he was a young priest and directed the diocesan seminary in Getafe. The report, quoting a letter the former seminarian wrote to the Vatican over the summer, said

Meghalaya Catholic body urges Chhattisgarh CM to act over arrest of 2 nuns

An association of Catholic Christians in Meghalaya's Shillong has written to Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, expressing concerns over the arrest of two nuns for allegedly being involved in human trafficking and religious conversion, and claiming that the charges against them were "baseless" and "falsely framed". Nuns Preethi Merry and Vandana Francis, along with Sukaman Mandavi, were arrested by the Government Railway Police (GRP) at the Durg railway station in Chhattisgarh on July 25, following a complaint by a local Bajrang Dal functionary, who accused them of forcibly converting three women from the state's tribal-majority Narayanpur district and trafficking them. The Catholic Association of Shillong (CAS), Meghalaya, headed by former Congress MP Vincent H Pala, claimed that the arrested persons were "only accompanying three young women, all above 18 years of age, with the full consent of their parents, for job opportunities". "Their work is in service to humanity, ..

Suicide bomber kills 22, injures dozens at Greek Orthodox church in Syria

A suicide bomber in Syria opened fire then detonated an explosive vest inside a Greek Orthodox church filled with people praying on Sunday, killing at least 22 and wounding 63 others, state media reported. The attack took place in Dweil'a on the outskirts of Damascus inside the Mar Elias Church, according to state media SANA, citing the Health Ministry for the toll of dead and wounded. Britain-based war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said there were at least 19 peopled killed and dozens wounded, but did not give exact numbers. Some local media reported that children were among the casualties. The attack on the church was the first of its kind in Syria in years, and comes as Damascus under its de facto Islamist rule is trying to win the support of minorities. As President Ahmad al-Sharaa struggles to exert authority across the country, there have been concerns about the presence of sleeper cells of extremist groups in the war-torn country. No group immediately claim

Pope Leo XIV: No tolerance for any form of abuse in Catholic Church

Pope Leo XIV has said there should be no tolerance in the Catholic Church for any type of abuse sexual, spiritual or abuse of authority -- and called for transparent processes to create a culture of prevention across the church. Leo made his first public comments about the clergy sex abuse scandal in a written message to a Peruvian journalist who documented a particularly egregious case of abuse and financial corruption in a Peruvian-based Catholic movement, the Sodalitium Christianae Vitae. The message was read out loud on Friday night in Lima during a performance of a play based on the Sodalitium scandal and the work of the journalist, Paola Ugaz. It is urgent to root in the whole church a culture of prevention that does not tolerate any form of abuse - neither of power or authority, nor abuse of conscience, spiritual or sexual abuse, Leo said in the message. This culture will only be authentic if it is born of active vigilance, of transparent processes and sincere listening to .

Tens of thousands flock to Vatican for Pope Leo XIV's installation ceremony

Tens of thousands of people streamed into St. Peter's Square early Sunday to inaugurate Pope Leo XIV's pontificate, joining presidents and princes in celebrating history's first American pope with a formal installation ceremony that blends ancient ritual, evocative symbols and a nod to modern-day celebrity. Starting at dawn, civil protection crews in neon uniforms funnelled pilgrims into quadrants in the piazza while priests and patriarchs hurried into St. Peter's Basilica to get ready for the Mass. US Vice President JD Vance, one of the last foreign officials to see Pope Francis before he died, paid his respects at the Argentine pope's tomb upon arriving in Rome late Saturday and was heading the US delegation honouring the Chicago-born Leo. Leo will start the day by taking his first tour through the piazza in the popemobile. The open-topped vehicle has become synonymous with the papacy's global reach and mediatic draw, used at home and abroad to bring popes close to their flock. I

'Leo will follow Francis': Amazon Catholics hope new pope protects forest

The bishop sat quietly near the front row, hands folded, listening as Indigenous leaders and church workers spoke about the threats to Peru's northern forests, a part of the Amazon rain forest. It was 2016, a year after Laudato Si, Pope Francis' encyclical on the environment. When he was up to speak, the bishop didn't preach though he was in his city of Chiclayo as host of a regional gathering. Instead, he reflected on things he had seen. It's a very important encyclical, he said. It also represents something new in terms of this explicit expression of the church's concern for all of creation. That bishop, Robert Prevost, is now Pope Leo XIV. He was always very welcoming, very close to the people, Laura Vargas, secretary of the Interreligious Council of Peru, who helped organize the event, recalled in a phone interview with The Associated Press. He had no problem saying yes when we proposed it he was genuinely interested in social pastoral work. Since then, Prevost deepened his

PM Modi conveys felicitations to Pope Leo XIV from people of India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday conveyed felicitations and best wishes from the people of India to Pope Leo XIV, and said India remains committed to continued dialogue and engagement with the Holy See to further shared values. Robert Prevost was elected on Thursday as the first pope from the United States in the history of the Catholic Church. Prevost, a 69-year-old member of the Augustinian religious order, took the name Leo XIV. "I convey sincere felicitations and best wishes from the people of India to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV. His leadership of the Catholic Church comes at a moment of profound significance in advancing the ideals of peace, harmony, solidarity and service," Modi said on X. India remains committed to continued dialogue and engagement with the Holy See to further our shared values, he said. The Holy See, also known as the Apostolic See or See of Rome, is the central governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City State.

How white Sox fan 'Bob' beat the odds to become first American pope

When Leo XIV spoke to crowds from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, his first message was against all forms of division and war

Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, overcame taboo against US pontiff

Pope Francis brought Robert Prevost to the Vatican in 2023 as the powerful head of the office that vets bishop nominations, one of the most important jobs in the Catholic Church. On Thursday, he ascended to become Pope Leo XIV the first American pontiff. Prevost, 69, had to overcome the taboo against a US pope, given the geopolitical power already wielded by the United States in the secular sphere. The Chicago native is also a Peruvian citizen and lived for years in Peru, first as a missionary and then as an archbishop. He had prominence going into the conclave that few other cardinals have. Prevost was twice elected prior general, or top leader, of the Augustinians, the 13th century religious order founded by St. Augustine. Francis clearly had an eye on him for years, moving him from the Augustinian leadership back to Peru in 2014 to serve as the administrator and later archbishop of Chiclayo. He remained in that position, acquiring Peruvian citizenship in 2015, until Francis .

Next Pope after Francis: Who the Catholic Church may choose to lead next

After Pope Francis's death, attention turns to the College of Cardinals and a diverse field of potential successors, from Parolin and Tagle to Zuppi and Ambongo

Pope Francis dies on Easter Monday after long battle with illness

Pope Francis had recently had a lengthy stay in a Rome hospital suffering from double pneumonia

Pope Francis passes away: Here is how the Vatican selects a new pontiff

The death of a sitting pope initiates a profound period of mourning and transition within the Roman Catholic Church, marked by a meticulously structured process to elect a new pontiff

Pope Francis (1936-2025): The Argentine pontiff who led with mercy, reforms

Pope Francis passed away at 88. As the first Latin American and Jesuit pope, he was renowned for his humility, advocacy for the marginalised, and efforts to reform the Catholic Church

What is Unification Church and why did a Japanese court order it dissolved?

A controversial South Korean church with powerful political connections faces dissolution in Japan after a Tokyo court ordered a revocation of its legal status after the government accused it of manipulative fundraising and recruitment tactics that sowed fear among followers and harmed their families. The Tokyo District Court's ruling would end the Unification Church's tax-exempt status in Japan and force it to liquidate its assets. The church said it is considering an immediate appeal to the country's highest court. The Unification Church has faced hundreds of lawsuits in Japan from families who say that it manipulated members into draining their savings to make donations, but for decades it largely escaped official scrutiny and maintained close links with the governing Liberal Democratic Party. That changed in 2022, when former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated. The man accused of shooting Abe allegedly was motivated by the former prime minister's links to the church and

Syro-Malabar church backs BJP leader PC George on 'Love Jihad' remarks row

The influential Syro-Malabar Church in Kerala on Wednesday expressed support for BJP leader P C George, who is facing criticism from the Youth Congress and key Congress ally, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), over his claim that 400 girls have been lost to 'love jihad' in Meenachil Taluk alone. In a statement, the Syro-Malabar Church Public Affairs Commission said that George's remarks regarding "drug trafficking, love traps, and terrorist activities" at a conference organised in Pala under the leadership of the Temperance Commission of the Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council (KCBC) were based on facts. It urged the central and state governments to conduct "a high-level investigation" into the issues raised by George, ensuring the privacy and security of the victims and their families. The commission also condemned attempts to create controversy over his statements and interpret them in a religious context, calling such efforts regrettable. It noted that reports about drugs, love

Pope Francis shows slight improvement in battle against pneumonia: Vatican

The Vatican said Wednesday that Pope Francis has shown further slight improvement as he battles double pneumonia, but doctors still say his prognosis is still guarded. A CT chest scan taken Tuesday evening showed the normal evolution of an infection as it is being treated. Blood tests have confirmed an improvement, according to the Vatican's late update. The slight kidney insufficiency detected a few days ago has receded, and Francis is continuing to receive respiratory physiotherapy. It was the first time the Vatican has said Francis was receiving physiotherapy to help him expel fluid from his lungs. Francis resumed work in the afternoon, after receiving the Eucharist in the morning. He was sitting upright and receiving therapy, the Vatican said, as Argentines, Romans and others have kept up the steady stream of prayers for his recovery. Meanwhile, the Holy See machinery has ground on, with the announcement of new bishops and a new church fundraising initiative. The pope continu

Tension in Angamaly-Ernakulam archdiocese in Kerala after police action

A tense atmosphere prevailed outside the Bishop House of the Angamaly-Ernakulam archdiocese here, after the police on Saturday evacuated from there several priests who were on an indefinite fast demanding withdrawal of certain documents issued by an Apostolic Administrator. Believers and priests strongly criticise the police action. They claimed before TV channels that the protesting priests were forcibly evacuated by the police from the Bishop House in the wee hours of Saturday. Visuals on TV channels also show that some of the protesting priests were injured in the police action. Several believers and priests, thereafter, began arriving in numbers at the St Mary's Basilica where the protesting priests were relocated and police were also seen in large numbers. The believers also got into a heated argument with police outside the Angamaly-Ernakulam archdiocese headquarters. They also accused Ernakulam ACP C Jayakumar of saying that the government was against the Angamaly-Ernakula

Indian envoy Shambhu S Kumaran presents credentials to Pope Francis

The Holy See is the universal government of the Catholic Church and operates from Vatican City State

Pope Francis's visit to India likely after Jubilee Year 2025: Kurian

Union Minister George Kurian on Saturday said the much-awaited visit of Pope Francis to India is likely to happen after 2025, which has been announced as the "Jubilee Year" by the Catholic Church. He said India had already invited the Pope officially and Prime Minister Narendra Modi directly extended him the invitation. The rest of the matters and procedures were to be decided by the Vatican. The visit would be scheduled as per the convenience of Pope Francis, he told media. Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs, Kurian was part of the delegation which reached Vatican to take part in the ordination of Monsignor George Jacob Koovakad, hailing from Kerala, as Cardinal by Pope Francis at a function to be held on Saturday. "The Church is celebrating 2025 as the Jubilee Year of Jesus Christ's birth. So, Vatican says that the Pope will be engaged during the (next) year," "So, as per the information we received, Pope Francis will visit India after the Jubilee Year. We expect that

Ukraine's parliament approves ban on Moscow-linked religious groups

Ukraine's parliament has banned the activities of religious groups tied to the Russian Orthodox Church or any other faith group supporting Russia's invasion a measure widely seen as targeting a Ukrainian religious body, despite its claim to independence from Moscow. The bill creates the legal tools for the government to ban the activities of any religious group deemed to be too closely connected to Russia or to support its invasion of Ukraine. The Verkhovna Rada approved the bill on Tuesday with 265 affirmative votes and only 29 opposed. The explicit ban on the Russian Orthodox Church is seen as aimed at the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which historically has been tied to the Russian church. The UOC has proclaimed its loyalty to Ukraine and insists that it has broken from the authority of the Russian Orthodox Church. But the Ukrainian government says it remains canonically tied to the Russian church and its Moscow-based patriarch, who has depicted the Russian invasion of Ukraine as