With Pope Francis’ passing, we recall his unforgettable efforts that contributed to friendship and dialogue between Christians and people of all religions.
In his landmark encyclical ‘Fratelli tutti,” Pope Francis emphasized the idea of human fraternity, drawing on the legacy of St. Francis of Assisi to inspire political action rooted in solidarity and highlighting the critical role of religions in building peace.
Throughout his twelve years as head of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis’ push for a greater sense of unity between all Christian Churches was evident through his words and deeds.
In the 12 years of his pontificate, Pope Francis visited 68 countries giving life to a tireless mission to take the Word of God and the comfort of His love to the whole human family.
A look at Laudato si’, Pope Francis’ radical encyclical on care for the environment, which has been praised as “the most important piece of intellectual criticism in our time”.
Among his many duties and decisions, the late Pope Francis clearly enjoyed the company of other people, drawing energy from them and returning their affection with a word of encouragement or sometimes with just a caring smile.
We remember Pope Francis as a Pope of peace through his tireless appeals and constant visits to show his closeness to those suffering the consequences of one of the most unjust human-made disasters: war.
Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican's Casa Santa Marta.
The Middle East continues to grapple with widespread instability and violence, with poverty further compounding the challenges in several regions.
Easter is here; thank God for that! Alleluia resounds, but how many Nigerians can sing it? How many people in the world can celebrate Easter? How many can celebrate Easter in Ukraine, Haiti, Gaza, Yemen, Sudan, or the Democratic Republic of Congo? What about in Plateau, Borno, and Zamfara States, along with other places in Nigeria and in our homes and churches?
The brief meeting of Pope Francis with US Vice President JD Vance offered the opportunity to exchange Easter greetings. Yesterday Cardinal Parolin met with the US leader at the Secretariat of State.
Pope Francis dedicates his Easter Urbi et Orbi message to calling for peace worldwide, for global disarmament and for the release of prisoners.
Celebrating the joy of Easter during the morning Mass in Saint Peter’s Square, Pope Francis in his homily calls on us to hasten to seek the risen Lord, like the first disciples, and to renew the gift of hope within us, sharing with those we meet along our life journey.
In his homily for the Easter Vigil read by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re presiding on his behalf, Pope Francis explains how this celebration "reminds us that the light of the Resurrection illumines our path" and our hearts. The Pope made a brief visit to St. Peter's Basilica a couple hours before the celebration for prayer and to greet the faithful gathering.
As we celebrate Easter, Fr Luke Gregory, OFM, offers his thoughts on how the Resurrection of Jesus Christ reframes our understanding of despair, moving us from depths of sadness into the glorious life giving light of joy.
As Easter approaches, there was some hope for hundreds of Russian and Ukrainian prisoners of war and scores of injured soldiers, with officials saying they are being exchanged on Saturday.
As the Church prepares to celebrate Easter the Franciscan Custody of Holy Land urges Christians worldwide to contribute generously to the annual Good Friday Collection to help give hope to Christian communities in the war-ravaged region.
The Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, Theophilos III, calls for reflection on the celebration of Easter 2025, which falls on the same day for Christians of East and West. He urges walking together also to achieve peace and security in the Holy Land. He writes, "a sound foundation has been laid but there is yet more to be done. We continue in this work confident in God's providence and renewed in the unconquered hope that is given to us in the Empty Tomb."
The Custos of the Holy Land, Fr. Francesco Patton, invites the faithful to celebrate with great hope the resurrection of Jesus and to avoid being "crushed under the heavy stone of the circumstances in which we find ourselves living" that speak of wars, pandemics, earthquakes, economic crises, and disasters.
The ongoing conflict in Gaza continues to claim lives, with Israeli airstrikes on Friday reportedly killing at least 45 Palestinians and injuring dozens more.