Saint Sylvester was born in Rome around the year 250. Not much is known about him, but legends surround him. Some legends state that at a young age, Sylvester was put under the care of a priest to be formed in the practice of religion and sacred literature. He enjoyed …

By Amira Abuzeid Dec 29, 2025 / 14:18 pm The bishop of the Diocese of Columbus, Ohio, has granted a dispensation from Mass for parishioners who fear deportation by immigration enforcement officers, who have increased activity in the area since mid-December. Bishop Earl Fernandes announced in a letter and video last week that those who …

By Daniel Payne CNA Staff, Dec 27, 2025 / 07:00 am Apps that promise to help re-create digital versions of deceased family members using AI pose a “spiritual danger” to Catholics and others who may use the technology in place of healthy grief, experts say. The AI company 2wai ignited a …

By Tessa Gervasini Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Dec 26, 2025 / 15:00 pm U.S. Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett says her Catholic faith “grounds her” and gives her “perspective.” During an interview with Bishop Robert Barron of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, Barrett tackled a number of topics including free speech, the reversal of Roe v. Wade, …

By Julieta Villar Dec 27, 2025 / 08:00 am In an exclusive 2024 interview with Goya Producciones for the documentary “ Valientes” (Brave Ones), the now president-elect of Chile, José Antonio Kast, addressed topics such as defending life, his family history, and the problem of leftist ideological imposition on society. Discussing both …

By Jonah McKeown CNA Staff, Dec 26, 2023 / 04:00 am If “Good King Wenceslas” is one of the Christmas hymns you look forward to each year, you probably know which saint is celebrated today — St. Stephen, the first person to die for the risen Christ. Roman Catholics celebrate his feast on Dec. 26, …

By Kevin J. Jones Denver, Colo., Dec 25, 2024 / 04:00 am The Catholic calendar has several ways to divide the Christmas season. The Church’s Western liturgical tradition sees Christmas as an octave, an eight-day celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. The octave of Christmas begins on Christmas itself, the feast of …

By Pope Leo XIV Vatican City, Dec 24, 2025 / 17:31 pm Pope Leo XIV celebrated Christmas Mass during the Night in St. Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday. The Mass was attended by an estimated 6,000 people inside the basilica, while around 5,000 people gathered outside in St. Peter’s Square, according to …

By Hannah Brockhaus Rome Newsroom, Dec 25, 2025 / 06:00 am If you spend any part of Christmas in Italy, you are sure to hear one of the country’s most beloved carols, “Tu Scendi Dalle Stelle” (“From Starry Skies Descending”). The Christmas song, written and composed by St. Alphonsus Liguori in …

By Victoria Cardiel Vatican City, Dec 24, 2025 / 06:00 am Pope Leo XIV will celebrate his first Christmas at the Vatican by reviving the tradition of offering Christmas Mass on Dec. 25 in St. Peter’s Basilica, something no pope has done since 1994. The Christmas celebrations — which will be …