Pope Francis in General Audience Photo: Vatican Media

Guatemalan Parliament creates Bible Day… Local church considers it unnecessary!

The law, passed on August 12 with 110 votes out of 160, was introduced through an “urgency” procedure normally reserved for crises of national relevance. Its stated purpose is to highlight the Bible’s role in fostering human dignity and promoting the spiritual, ethical, and cultural development of Guatemalan society. Educational, civic, and cultural activities are envisioned as part of the annual observance.

Patriarch of Constantinople makes setting a common date for Easter between Orthodox and Catholics conditional on a Council

The Patriarch insisted that such dissonance cannot be resolved by committees or courtesy alone. “For the Orthodox, what was fixed by a council can only be altered by another council,” he said. Yet he also stressed that division must not deepen: “Our credibility as Christians depends on giving testimony to the Resurrection on the same day.”