Nicaraguan dictatorship bans priestly and diaconal ordinations

Pew Research Center: Why Buddhism is in decline in East Asia

ZENIT Staff

A new report looks at the reasons for the decline based on qualitative interviews in Tokyo and Seoul. In addition to demographic decline, the erosion of faith between generations, the “pressures of modern life”, the decline in religious practices, and negative views of religion have also played a role. However, many claim to maintain a cultural connection with Buddhism and still feel drawn to its teachings.

Nicaraguan dictatorship bans priestly and diaconal ordinations in four dioceses across the country

ZENIT Staff

For a Church already weakened by years of repression, the measure appears designed not merely to punish current leadership but to obstruct the formation of the next generation of clergy.

Results of Vatican diplomacy: Amid conflict with the U.S., Cuba will release prisoners

Enrique Villegas

The decision underscores the continued relevance of Vatican diplomacy in Cuba. By combining moral appeals with patient negotiation, the Holy See has repeatedly succeeded in encouraging humanitarian gestures that might otherwise have remained politically impossibl

The Cross Atop the Jesus Christ Tower of the Basilica of the Holy Family, which the Pope will Inaugurate in Barcelona, ​​Is Now Visible

ZENIT Staff

The church’s Construction Board is gradually removing the scaffolding, and the 17-meter cross is now visible

Some reflections with you on the relationship between the administration of justice and the value of unity, according to Pope Leo XIV

ZENIT Staff

Address by the Holy Father on the occasion of the opening of the judicial year of the Tribunal of the Vatican City State

The sacrament of confession (reconciliation or penance), beautifully explained by Pope Leo XIV to young priests and seminarians

ZENIT Staff

Address by the Holy Father to the priests and seminarians who participated in the course on the Internal Forum of the Apostolic Penitentiary

The devil’s work: one of the topics discussed with Pope Leo XIV by leaders of exorcists from around the world. Here’s how the meeting went

Valentina di Giorgio

Orlita and Bamonte also shared a historical note that delighted the Pope: Leo XIV had personally known and appreciated Father Gabriele Amorth, the Italian priest who founded the International Association of Exorcists and who for decades served as one of the most widely known exorcists in the Church

Photo Gallery: A Look at the Custom Ford Explorer Platinum That Pope Leo XIV Received as a Gift from Chicago

ZENIT Staff

The Explorer was customized with a 3.3L V6 hybrid powertrain and 10-speed hybrid transmission, as well as an antenna that’s compatible with the European broadcast radio system. Vanity license plates read “DA POPE” and “LEO XIV.”

Online “relics” of St. Francis spark alarm: Franciscans warn faithful about growing digital fraud

Valentina di Giorgio

The alarm was raised after listings appeared on popular e-commerce platforms such as eBay and Etsy claiming to offer relics connected to the medieval saint—among them supposed fragments of bone, traces of blood and pieces of clothing attributed to the founder of the Franciscan movement

EU Court Requires Member States to Legally Recognize “Gender Reassignment”

ZENIT Staff

Stemming from a Bulgarian case where “sex” is defined biologically and civil registry alterations are forbidden, the CJEU argues such denials violate EU rights if they hinder everyday life, like identity checks, travel, or work in other states

Questions about liturgy: Should the cross be veiled during Lent?

ZENIT Staff

Answered by Legionary of Christ Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy and sacramental theology at the Pontifical Regina Apostolorum university.

London’s Trafalgar Square to Host Landmark 15th Anniversary Performance of the Passion of Jesus on Good Friday

Elizabeth Owens

Fifteen years after its debut in the square, the Wintershall Passion play has evolved into more than a theatrical production. For many Londoners, it has become a moment in which one of Christianity’s most enduring narratives reenters the public space of a modern city, reminding audiences that stories of suffering, redemption and hope continue to shape cultural memory even in a secular age