Lebanon Turns to the Pope: Lebanese President Visits Leo XIV Amid the Israeli Siege

Aug 20, 2026 23:08

ZENIT Staff

President Joseph Aoun’s latest visit to the Vatican (August 20) was about more than diplomacy Photo: Vatican Media

Holy Land•Justice and Peace

Israel Turns Archaeology into a Tool for Annexation: How It Seized the Site Linked to the Tomb of John the Baptist

In the West Bank, archaeology is used as a weapon of conquest; in Sebastia, a site linked to John the Baptist, Israel has moved to seize control of it. The same strategy was applied in the City of David. Science is being used for propaganda purposes, while the Palestinian Authority remains bankrupt.

Aug 19, 2026 22:28

ZENIT Staff

Causes of Saints•Testimonies

Missionary and Missioned Partner: The Remarkable Brazilian Case of Two Martyrs on the Path to the Altars

Their beatification process began in 2016. The diocesan phase opened in January 2018. Vatican authorities issued their first positive decision regarding the beatification in late 2025.

Aug 19, 2026 22:23

Rafael Manuel Tovar

Justice and Peace•Local Church

U.S. Bishops’ Initiative to Inform Communities on the Danger of Abortion Pills Includes Prayer, Education, and Advocacy

In addition to invoking the intercession of St. Joseph, Defender of Life, participants can learn about the danger of abortion pills

Aug 19, 2026 22:21

ZENIT Staff

Justice and Peace

Italian Episcopal Newspaper Calls for the Nobel Peace Prize to Be Awarded to the Children Killed in Gaza

The proposal was prompted by a stark figure: 300 children and adolescents reportedly killed during the 300 days following the ceasefire that took effect on October 10, 2025 — effectively one child a day during a period that was supposed to mark an end to the violence.

Aug 19, 2026 22:18

Valentina di Giorgio

Local Church

How Many Catholics Support the Death Penalty? U.S. Study Releases Findings

A new Pew Research Center survey found that 65% of U.S. Catholics favor the death penalty for people convicted of murder, including 28% who say they support it strongly. Yet the position articulated repeatedly by Pope Leo XIV points in the opposite direction

Aug 19, 2026 22:06

ZENIT Staff

15,000 police officers, 2,500 journalists… the surprising numbers (challenges and opportunities) surrounding the Pope’s visit to France

Leo XIV Heads to France as a Quiet Religious Revival Meets a Country in Search of Common Ground

Stephen Colbert and Scott Brick will narrate the first English-language audiobook by Pope Leo XIV

The collection also shows a future Pope addressing a world already marked by the tensions that would later become familiar features of his pontificate: the consequences of September 11, political ideologies, poverty, conflict and questions surrounding human rights. The publisher presents these writings as an opportunity to see the reasoning behind some of Prevost’s contemplative responses to those challenges

Lebanon Turns to the Pope: Lebanese President Visits Leo XIV Amid the Israeli Siege

Lourdes Shrine: Lefebvrist priests are prohibited from celebrating Mass there

Cameroon Announces the Closure of 1,400 Revivalist Churches

European Catholic Principality Headed by a Bishop Moves Toward Decriminalizing Abortion Amid Vatican Obstacles

Catholic President of Chile Will Not Support Pro-Life Bill Requiring Women to Hear Baby’s Heartbeat Before Undergoing An Abortion

What should the music be like during Mass (or in the liturgy in general)? Leo XIV provides the answer

Catholic baptisms in Ireland drop 30pc in ten years

Israel Turns Archaeology into a Tool for Annexation: How It Seized the Site Linked to the Tomb of John the Baptist

Missionary and Missioned Partner: The Remarkable Brazilian Case of Two Martyrs on the Path to the Altars

U.S. Bishops’ Initiative to Inform Communities on the Danger of Abortion Pills Includes Prayer, Education, and Advocacy

Italian Episcopal Newspaper Calls for the Nobel Peace Prize to Be Awarded to the Children Killed in Gaza

How Many Catholics Support the Death Penalty? U.S. Study Releases Findings