Pope Leo XIV prays the Angelus prayer on the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception on Dec. 8, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

ACI Prensa Staff, Dec 8, 2025 / 13:30 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV led the Angelus prayer Dec. 8 from the window of the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican on the occasion of the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.

Addressing the faithful and pilgrims in attendance in St. Peter’s Square, the pontiff commented that on Dec. 8 we express our joy because the Father of heaven wanted her to be “preserved immune from all stain of original sin.”

“The Lord has granted to Mary the extraordinary grace of a completely pure heart, in view of an even greater miracle: the coming of Christ the Savior,” he added.

The pope also noted that the gift of the fullness of grace in the young woman of Nazareth “was able to bear fruit because she in her freedom welcomed it, embracing the plan of God.”

He emphasized that “the Lord always acts in this way: He gives us great gifts, but he leaves us free to accept them or not.”

For the Holy Father, this feast also invites us to “believe as she believed, giving our generous assent to the mission to which the Lord calls us.”

In this way, he pointed out that the miracle that happened for Mary at her conception was “renewed for us in baptism: Cleansed from original sin, we have become children of God, his dwelling place and the temple of the Holy Spirit.”

“The ‘yes’ of the mother of the Lord is wonderful, but so also can ours be, renewed faithfully each day, with gratitude, humility, and perseverance, in prayer and in concrete acts of love, from the most extraordinary gestures to the most mundane and ordinary efforts and acts of service. In this way, Christ can be known, welcomed, and loved everywhere and salvation can come to everyone,” he emphasized.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Pope Leo XIV addresses pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican for the Angelus on Dec. 7, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Dec 7, 2025 / 09:00 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV on Sunday said his apostolic journey to Turkey and Lebanon showed that “peace is possible,” pointing to renewed steps toward Christian unity and powerful encounters with the Lebanese people still seeking justice after the 2020 Beirut port explosion.

Speaking after the Angelus to pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square on Dec. 7, the pope recalled praying in İznik, ancient Nicaea, with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, considered first among equals among Eastern Orthodox bishops, and representatives of other Christian communities on the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea.

Marking Sunday’s 60th anniversary of the “Common Declaration” between Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras, Leo said: “We give thanks to God and renew our dedication to journeying towards the full visible unity of all Christians.”

In Lebanon, the pope said he encountered a “mosaic of coexistence” and met people who serve the most vulnerable by welcoming refugees, visiting the imprisoned, and sharing food with those in need. He was especially moved by meeting relatives of the victims of the Beirut port blast. “The Lebanese people were waiting for a word and a presence of consolation, but it was they who comforted me with their faith and their enthusiasm,” he said.

The pope also expressed closeness to communities in south and southeast Asia struck by recent natural disasters, praying for victims and urging international solidarity.

Earlier, in his Advent catechesis before the Angelus, Pope Leo reflected on John the Baptist’s call to prepare the way of the Lord. John’s severe tone, he said, still resonates because it carries God’s “plea to take life seriously” and to ready the heart for the God who judges “not by appearance, but by deeds and intentions.”

The pope said the kingdom manifests itself gently, in the meekness and mercy of Christ described by Isaiah as a shoot rising from a seemingly dead tree trunk. He linked this surprising newness to the spirit of the Second Vatican Council, which closed 60 years ago and continues to guide the Church on its journey toward unity and renewal.

“This is the spirituality of Advent, very luminous and concrete,” he said. “The streetlights remind us that each of us can be a little light, if we welcome Jesus, the shoot of a new world.”

Pope Leo XIV receives an electric lawn mower from Czech manufacturer Swardman during a general audience in mid-November 2025. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Swardman

Rome Newsroom, Dec 7, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

The Vatican’s gardeners have a new tool for maintaining the papal grounds: a custom-designed electric lawn mower bearing the Holy See’s coat of arms.

Pope Leo XIV received the white Electra 2.0 mower during a general audience in mid-November, a gift from Czech manufacturer Swardman.

The specially commissioned model features leather-lined handles and was hand-assembled at the company’s facility in Šardice, Czech Republic. “It was an incredibly powerful experience full of humility and respect,” Jakub Dvořák, the company’s sales manager who personally presented the gift, told CNA. “The pontiff appreciated the Vatican’s coat of arms placed on the appliance, listened with interest as we explained how it functions, and thanked us very politely.”

The quiet, precision-cutting mower is destined for use in the Vatican Gardens or possibly at the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, according to a press release from the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which facilitated the presentation.

Founded in 2013, the company manufactures lawn care equipment that it describes as combining functionality with “timeless elegance” suited to historic settings. The Czech Embassy to the Holy See played a key role in arranging the gift, which Dvořák called “a moment of unmistakable magic.”

Vatican gardeners will put the electric mower to work maintaining the manicured lawns that provide green respite within the world’s smallest state.

Chris Pratt speaks at the 2016 San Diego Comic Con International for “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego. / Credit: Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

CNA Staff, Dec 6, 2025 / 12:00 pm (CNA).

American actor Chris Pratt, best known for his roles in “Guardians of the Galaxy” and “Jurassic World,” is currently filming a documentary on the Vatican Necropolis, which lies underneath Vatican City containing tombs dating from the first to fourth century A.D., at depths varying between 16 and 39 feet below St. Peter’s Basilica. 

The film, which is being produced by Vatican Media, the Fabric of St. Peter, and AF Films, will be released in 2026 for the 400th anniversary of the inauguration and dedication of the basilica. 

Pratt will guide viewers on a journey to discover the tomb of St. Peter through stories of faith, history, and archaeology.

“It is an extraordinary honor to partner with Pope Leo and the Vatican on this project. St. Peter’s story is foundational to the Christian faith, and I’m deeply grateful for the trust and access granted to help bring his legacy to the screen,” Pratt told Vatican News in an interview. 

While Pratt is not Catholic, he and his wife, Katherine Schwarzenegger, a practicing Catholic, attend Mass regularly and are raising their children Catholic. Pratt speaks openly about his faith and the importance he places on praying daily. He has also partnered with Hallow, a Catholic prayer and meditation app, on multiple occasions and been featured in its Lent, Advent, and daily prayer challenges. 

Through historical evidence and archaeological discoveries, viewers of the new film are invited to discover St. Peter’s burial place in the Vatican Necropolis, which was officially announced by Pope Pius XII in 1950. 

In 1939, Pope Pius XII had workers begin excavations under the basilica in order to try to find the location of the beloved apostle’s burial place. In 1950, the pope officially announced that the location of the tomb was found, along with bone fragments likely belonging to the saint. In 1968, Pope Paul VI announced that the bone fragments found were indeed those of St. Peter. 

St. Peter’s bones were publicly displayed for the first time in 2013 by Pope Francis. The late pontiff held the relics during a Mass at St. Peter’s Square, which marked the end of the Church’s Year of Faith.

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated in the second to last paragraph that Pius XII was the pope in 1968. It has been corrected to say Paul VI. (Published Dec. 8, 2025) 

Archbishop Bernard Bober of Košice, president of the Slovak Bishops’ Conference, blesses the new mosaic of Our Lady of Sorrows in the Vatican Gardens at a ceremony attended by Slovak President Peter Pellegrini and Vatican officials on Dec. 5, 2025. / Credit: Bohumil Petrík

EWTN News, Dec 6, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

Just before the feast of the Immaculate Conception, a mosaic of Our Lady of Sorrows, protectress of Slovakia, was inaugurated in the Vatican Gardens. Archbishop Bernard Bober of Košice, president of the Slovak Bishops’ Conference, blessed the artwork during a ceremony attended by Slovak President Peter Pellegrini, whom Pope Leo XIV received in audience the day before.

Among other bishops and diplomats, two cardinals took part: the dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Re, and Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches.

The Slovak president said he was happy to see the Slovak Virgin Mary image inside the Vatican as she “is a source of hope, faith, and unity.” Pellegrini stressed that his Central European country and the Holy See “share common values, such as the dignity of human person, true liberty, and open dialogue.”

During the audience with Pope Leo XIV, the Vatican said, pontiff and president reaffirmed their commitment to supporting social cohesion, promoting justice, and safeguarding the family, and discussed the war in Ukraine, its impact on European security, and the situation in the Middle East.

Each time people pass by this beautiful artwork, Gugerotti underlined in his speech at the inauguration, “we will pray for the Slovak people” who suffered during atheist communism, and yet “were able to maintain and renew its Christian roots.”

Likewise, Re told CNA that he is very happy for the new artwork. “I have always loved Slovakia because it is still very Catholic,” the prelate said.

It is a great honor for Slovakian Catholics that the mosaic of Our Lady of Sorrows has reached the heart of the Church, Bober underscored. The Slovak Virgin Mary is “a symbol of the spiritual connection between Slovakia and the Vatican.” It reminds the faithful, the archbishop continued, that “Our Lady of Sorrows has a special place in our nation, but also in the lives of all believers.”

The colorful mosaic, created by Greek Catholic priest and artist Father Kamil Dráb, is a copy of an image in the chapel of the Pontifical Slovak College of St. Cyril and Methodius in Rome and has been installed in the Vatican Gardens near the bell used during the Great Jubilee of 2000.

St. Nicholas, by Jaroslav Čermák (1831-1878). / Credit: Galerie Art Praha via Wikimedia (public domain)

Vatican City, Dec 6, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA).

St. Nicholas, whose feast day is celebrated on Dec. 6, is known to possibly be the real-life inspiration for the beloved Christmas character of Santa Claus.

Not a lot is known about the historical Nicholas, who was bishop of Myra, a Greek city in modern-day Turkey, during the fourth century A.D. But there are many stories and legends that explain his reputation as a just and upright man, charitable gift-giver, and miracle-worker.

Here are five things to know and share about St. Nicholas:

1. There is a legend behind why St. Nicholas is the patron saint of children.

Many people know that St. Nicholas is the patron saint of children, but they may not know why he has that title.

There is a grisly legend that says that during a famine in Myra, three young boys were lured into a butcher’s shop, where they were killed and then brined in a wooden barrel with the intention of being sold as “ham.” The good bishop worked a miracle, bringing the pickled children back to life and saving them from a gruesome fate.

This story became the subject of many portrayals of Nicholas in art, especially during the Middle Ages. Some people believe depictions of Bishop Nicholas with the three boys led to his reputation as a protector of children.

The legend of the brining may explain how he also became, oddly, the patron saint of brewers and coopers (people who make wooden casks, barrels, vats, troughs, and similar containers from timber).

2. He is one of the foremost saints in the Russian Orthodox Church.

St. Nicholas is a unifying figure among Catholics and Orthodox Christians since both churches venerate him.

He is incredibly important in the Russian Orthodox Church, where he is known as St. Nicholas the Wonderworker for the many miracles attributed to him both during and after his life.

To the Orthodox, Nicholas is principally honored for his qualities as a holy bishop and a good shepherd of his people.

Also, in their weekly liturgical cycle, which dedicates different days of the week to Jesus Christ and other saints, only three are specifically named: Mary, the Mother of God; John the Forerunner (known to Catholics as St. John the Baptist); and St. Nicholas.

Nicholas did not leave behind any theological writings, but when he was made a bishop, he is credited with saying that “this dignity and this office demand different usage, in order that one should live no longer for oneself but for others.”

3. Was he really jolly ol’ St. Nicholas?

Because of his popularity among Orthodox Christians, St. Nicholas is a favorite subject in iconography.

But don’t be surprised if, among the hundreds of icons depicting him, you don’t see any merry dimples or a “round little belly.” He does have a white beard, though.

4. He is the patron saint of unmarried people, fishermen, pawnbrokers, and the falsely accused.

One of the most popular legends about Nicholas is that the saint, who is said to have come from a wealthy family, secretly helped a poor man with three daughters.

The father could not provide proper dowries for the girls to marry, and without husbands to support them, they might have been forced to turn to prostitution.

After learning about the situation, Nicholas secretly slipped a bag of gold coins through the family’s window while they were sleeping. He later left a second bag of coins, and likewise, another bag for the third daughter, at which point, the legend says, the father, who had waited up all night, “caught” Nicholas red-handed in his gift-giving. But Nicholas made him promise to keep the secret.

The story is likely the explanation for why the modern Christmas character of Santa Claus brings his gifts for children under the cover of night.

In artworks referencing this legend, the three bags of coins are often depicted as three golden balls. Images of gold balls were also used to mark the shops of pawnbrokers, which is probably how Nicholas came to be their patron saint, too.

One of many miracles attributed to St. Nicholas happened at sea as he traveled aboard a boat to the Holy Land. Nicholas is a patron saint of sailors and travelers because he calmed the stormy waters that threatened their lives.

His patronage of the falsely accused can be attributed to an early story about his rescue of three innocent men moments before their execution. It is said that St. Nicholas, then bishop of Myra, boldly pushed away the executioner’s sword, released the men from their chains, and angrily reprimanded a juror who had taken a bribe to find them guilty.

5. He has two feast days.

Most people know that Nicholas’ feast day is celebrated on Dec. 6, the day he died in the year 343, but for East Slavs, as well as the people of Bari, Italy, May 9 is also an important day to celebrate the saint.

That date is the anniversary of the day that St. Nicholas’ relics were moved from Myra, in present-day Turkey, to Bari, not long after the Great Schism of Catholics and Orthodox in 1054 A.D.

Accounts differ over whether the transmission of the relics was theft or an attempt by Christian sailors to preserve the saint’s remains from destruction by the Turks. But whatever the real reason, the relics can still be venerated today in the Basilica of St. Nicholas in Bari.

Pope Francis visited Bari, in Italy’s southern region of Puglia, two times during his papacy. During both the 2018 and 2020 visits, he stopped in the basilica’s crypt to venerate St. Nicholas’ relics.

The pontifical basilica is an important place of ecumenism, since the Catholic Church welcomes many Eastern Catholics and Orthodox Christians to the pilgrimage site. In the crypt, where St. Nicholas is buried, there is also an altar for the celebration of Orthodox and Eastern Catholic liturgies.

For Christians who follow the Julian calendar, as the Eastern Orthodox do, St. Nicholas’ principal feast day falls on Dec. 19. An Orthodox Divine Liturgy is usually celebrated at the Basilica of St. Nicholas that morning.

On Dec. 6, Catholics in Bari celebrate the beloved saint with Mass, concerts, and a procession of the saint’s statue through the city’s streets.

This story was first published on Dec. 6, 2022, and has been updated.

Pope Leo XIV. / Credit: Vatican Media

ACI Prensa Staff, Dec 5, 2025 / 15:38 pm (CNA).

The profile of Pope Leo XIV is among the most viewed pages on the digital encyclopedia Wikipedia, and his names — both the one he took upon beginning his pontificate on May 8 and his given name, Robert Francis Prevost — are among the most searched terms globally on Google during 2025.

The Wikimedia Foundation, which supports Wikipedia, presented on Dec. 2 its list of “most read articles” in English. Pope Leo XIV in English holds fifth place.

Wikimedia highlighted that one of the deaths that had the biggest impact during 2025 was that of Pope Francis, whom they remembered as “the first Latin American to become pope” who “served as pope for 12 years before passing away” on April 21.

“The Catholic Church selected his successor, Pope Leo XIV, a few weeks later. As people rushed online to learn about Leo, traffic to all Wikimedia projects peaked at around 800,000 hits per second, more than six times over normal traffic levels and a new all-time record for us,” the foundation noted.

“Plenty of people also came to learn more about Francis’ life, too,” it added, noting that his English Wikipedia page ranks 11th among the most read pages this year.

Wikipedia, which defines itself as “a free online encyclopedia written and maintained by a community of volunteers, known as Wikipedians, through open collaboration and the wiki software MediaWiki,” is one of the most visited websites in the world. According to Statista, in 2025 it ranked fifth, just behind Google, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.

Leo XIV and his election: Search trends in 2025

Near the end of the year, the search engine Google also released its list of trends, “Year in Search 2025.” In its “people” section, Pope Leo XIV ranked fifth worldwide, and among news searches, the election of the new pope ranked fourth.

In the United States, his native country, Pope Leo XIV ranked fifth among trending people searches. The election of the new pope was in seventh place among trending news searches, while Pope Francis ranked seventh on the list of searches for those who died in 2025.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Singer Michael Bublé called meeting Pope Leo XIV on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, “one of the greatest moments of my life,” adding that as he prepares to headline the Vatican’s annual Christmas concert for the poor, he hopes his example will encourage more people to speak openly about their faith. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Dec 5, 2025 / 15:08 pm (CNA).

Michael Bublé called meeting Pope Leo XIV on Friday “one of the greatest moments of my life,” adding that as he prepares to headline the Vatican’s annual Christmas concert for the poor, he hopes his example will encourage more people to speak openly about their faith.

The Grammy-winning singer, known for his velvety voice and popular Christmas albums, said faith “changes everything in my life, every single interaction.”

“When you say that you have strong faith, this is shocking to people, which is sometimes hard for me to understand,” Bublé said in response to a question from CNA at a Vatican press conference on Dec. 5.

“And with the platform I have, my hope is that … there’s a young person who might listen to me today who might be afraid to share their faith or to be open about it, and they look at me and they say, ‘Wow, look at Bublé. He’s not afraid to share it,’ and maybe it will give them the strength to do the same.”

Bublé met Pope Leo XIV on Friday along with other artists participating in the Vatican’s sixth annual “Concert with the Poor” on Saturday, Dec. 6.

“I am overwhelmed,” Bublé said. “This morning, I had the opportunity to meet the Holy Father. For me, this was something that I knew was going to be one of the greatest moments of my life.” 

This year marks the first time a pope will attend the Vatican concert, which is free and offered to 3,000 people in need served by volunteer organizations around Rome. They will receive a hot takeaway dinner and other necessities after the event.

“We know that times are difficult for many people, and there’s a lot of darkness,” Bublé said. I feel like when you have faith, you have your own pilot light. And the lights can go out everywhere, everywhere, but if you have that faith and you have that light inside you, you can find your way.”

The Canadian singer told EWTN News after the press conference that it was especially meaningful to introduce the pontiff to his mother, who was his childhood catechism teacher.  

“A lot of people won’t know, but I was raised in the Catholic Church, and my mother was my catechism teacher,” said Bublé, who has noted in previous interviews that he does not identify with a particular organized religion.

“Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Christ and the sacrifice that allows all of us to have an eternal life,” Bublé said, describing how music is central to his spiritual life.

“Music is a gift from God,” he said. “I talk to so many people today about what a gift from God music is.”

Bublé noted that “Silent Night” and “Adeste Fideles” are among his favorite Christmas hymns. 

He said that he asked the pope for specific song requests for the concert, which will feature selections Pope Leo enjoys. One of them is “Ave Maria,” a piece not normally in Bublé’s repertoire. He acknowledged feeling “a bit nervous” to perform it before the pope and was coaxed into offering reporters a brief a cappella preview during the press conference.

The concert will also feature the choir of the Diocese of Rome, the Nuova Opera Orchestra, and Catholic composer Monsignor Marco Frisina. Past editions of the concert have been conducted by composers Hans Zimmer and Ennio Morricone.

“Before every show … I say, ‘Thank you, God, for giving me the ability to connect with these beautiful souls,’” Bublé said.

Pope Leo XIV meets with members of the Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice Foundation and the Strategic Alliance of Catholic Research Universities on Dec. 5, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

ACI Prensa Staff, Dec 5, 2025 / 14:38 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV reflected Dec. 5 at the Vatican on the challenges posed by artificial intelligence during a meeting with members of the Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice Foundation and participants in the Strategic Alliance of Catholic Research Universities.

In his address, the Holy Father pointed out that artificial intelligence affects certain essential characteristics of the human person, “such as critical thinking, discernment, learning, and interpersonal relationships.”

For the pontiff, this has a real impact “on the lives of millions of people, every day and in every part of the world.”

“How can we ensure that the development of artificial intelligence truly serves the common good and is not just used to accumulate wealth and power in the hands of a few?” he then asked.

To answer this question, the pope urged deeper reflection on “what it means to be human in this moment of history” — that is, those who are called to be collaborators in the work of creation and not simply “passive consumers of content generated by artificial technology.”

“Our dignity,” he added, “lies in our ability to reflect, choose freely, love unconditionally, and enter into authentic relationships with others.”

He also emphasized that this technology raises “serious concerns about its possible repercussions on humanity’s openness to truth and beauty, and capacity for wonder and contemplation.”

Consequently, he noted that “recognizing and safeguarding what characterizes the human person and guarantees his or her balanced growth is essential for establishing an adequate framework for managing the consequences of artificial intelligence.”

Leo XIV mentioned his concern about the vulnerability of children and young people in this new reality, where their freedom and spirituality are at stake, as well as their intellectual and neurological development.

Therefore, he warned that “the ability to access vast amounts of data and information should not be confused with the ability to derive meaning and value from it.”

In this context, he emphasized that “it will therefore be essential to teach young people to use these tools with their own intelligence, ensuring that they open themselves to the search for truth, a spiritual and fraternal life, broadening their dreams and the horizons of their decision-making.”

He also emphasized the need to “restore and strengthen their confidence in the human ability to guide the development of these technologies. It is a confidence that today is increasingly eroded by the paralyzing idea that its development follows an inevitable path.”

Finally, the Holy Father affirmed that these objectives can only be achieved through “widespread participation that gives everyone the opportunity to be heard with respect, even the most humble.” 

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

null / Credit: Yury Dmitrienko/Shutterstock

ACI Prensa Staff, Dec 4, 2025 / 16:07 pm (CNA).

The Vatican announced on Dec. 4 a new decision by Pope Leo XIV regarding fundraising for the Holy See.

Through the new chirograph Vinculum Unitatis et Caritatis, the Holy Father is eliminating the current Commissio de Donationibus (Donations Commission) structure created in February by Pope Francis to raise funds, which was approved “ad experimentum” (for temporary or provisional use) for three years.

This commission was tasked with encouraging donations through specific campaigns among the faithful, bishops’ conferences, and other potential benefactors.

The pontiff thus repealed the rules in force until now and established that they will no longer have “any canonical or legal force,” as well as any acts adopted up to this point. Furthermore, Pope Leo XIV decreed that all the commission’s assets must be transferred to the Holy See.

By means of this decree, the members of the commission are immediately dismissed. The commission was composed of Monsignor Roberto Campisi, adviser for general affairs of the Secretariat of State, who chaired it; Archbishop Flavio Pace, secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity; Alessandra Smerilli, secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development; Sister Silvana Piro, undersecretary of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See; and Giuseppe Puglisi-Alibrandi, deputy secretary-general of the Governorate of Vatican City State.

The decision of Leo XIV comes after consulting with experts in the field and following the recommendations of the Council for the Economy, with the aim of strengthening administrative efficiency in the financial management of the Holy See.

The liquidation of the former commission will be managed by the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See, while the Secretariat for the Economy will resolve any outstanding issues and must keep the Council for the Economy informed of all actions taken in this regard.

The Holy Father also ordered the creation of a new working group tasked with designing a renewed and more suitable model for fundraising, whose members will be proposed by the Council for the Economy. This measure takes effect immediately upon its publication in L’Osservatore Romano.

On Nov. 26, Pope Leo XIV also made an adjustment to the reforms undertaken by his predecessor with a new decree to revise the financial and administrative rules governing the basilicas of St. Peter and St. Mary Major.

The pontiff placed both institutions under the ordinary supervision of the Vatican’s Council for the Economy, emphasizing that the economic and financial reform of the Holy See requires a “periodic reevaluation and redefinition” of the regulatory framework.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.