POPE FRANCIS RETURNS TO ROME, PRAYS BEFORE IMAGE OF MARY

UPDATE: Here is a first link from CNA on the inflight press conference:https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/255276/pope-francis-gives-glimpse-into-vatican-china-deal-on-appointment-of-chinese-bishops

Today the U.S. celebrates Labor Day. It is a holiday for EWTN staff and I did not intend to post but did want to let you know about the pope’s safe return to Rome from Mongolia, What an amazing trip that was!

I also wanted to offer some hope for all those filled with worry about the difficult times, the political and social divisions, the rancor, the moral issues facing our country today.

Read on….

Peter Julian Eymard was born in La Mure d’Isère, France, on 4 February 1811. He died on 1 August 1868. In 1856 Eymard founded the now worldwide Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament. The congregation’s charism emphasises devotion to the Eucharist. Through his writings and actions Eymard is recognised for his major contribution to nineteenth century French spirituality. Saint Peter Julian was canonised on 9 December, 1962 by Pope John XXIII. He is often referred to as the “Apostle of the Eucharist”. https://stpeterjulianeymard.com/

In the book “Eucharistic Gems, Daily Wisdom on the Blessed Sacrament,” by Fr. Don Calloway, MIC, he is quoted on September 1:  “Exposition is the form of worship our time needs. It is necessary in order to save society. Society is killing itself, because it no longer has a center of gravity and charity. There is no more family life: everyone isolates himself, concentrates on himself, wants to suffice unto himself. Disintegration is imminent. But society will be born again, full of vigor, when all its members come and join together around our Emmanuel.”

These words, from a man who died 155 years ago, should inspire us, give us hope and possibly even bring joy!

POPE FRANCIS RETURNS TO ROME, PRAYS BEFORE IMAGE OF MARY

The papal flight from Mongolia, with Pope Francis, his entourage and the media, has safely landed, earlier than foreseen, arriving about 4 pm after 10 hours in the air. Excerpts from (or full text) of inflight press conference expected soon.

As is traditional for Pope Francis, upon his return to Rome he immediately went to St. Mary Major basilica to pray before the image of Mary beloved by Romans  Salus populi Romani, to thank her for his just-concluded trip.

SUNDAY: PAPAL UPDATES FROM MONGOLIA

SUNDAY: PAPAL UPDATES FROM MONGOLIA

You can continue to follow this papal trip to Mongolia in two special ways:

• https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/tags/987/pope-francis-in-mongolia
• https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9CQlldupc5-eg9x3uxCPSeZMT8A4AKP7

I also want you share with some some truly beautiful and inspiring photos taken by EWTN’s Colm Flynn before the arrival of Pope Francis. He has given us a terrific idea of the people and culture, the vastness and beauty of Mongolia: https://colmflynnproductions.pixieset.com/mongolia/

Some of his latest:

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Great work, Colm! Mongolia is on my bucket list!

For summaries of papal speeches in English: vaticannews.va

To my fellow Americans – Happy Labor Day tomorrow!

 

VATICAN INSIDER: PREPARING A PAPAL TRIP, BEHIND THE SCENES

VATICAN INSIDER: PREPARING A PAPAL TRIP, BEHIND THE SCENES

As you know, Pope Francis this weekend is in Mongolia, his 43rd apostolic trip abroad. In what is normally the interview segment of VI, I’ve prepared a Special about papal trips – telling the story of the behind the scenes preparations that go into such a massive undertaking!

How does the Pope decide when and where he should travel? Who gets involved in the early plans? The later plans? Some of the main issues in preparing a trip: security, liturgical events and sites, the papal residence, preparing tickets for papal events, procuring greater numbers of vestments, chalices, etc, for a Mass (after all, the Eucharistic is the heart of any papal trip).

Sights, sites and sounds from Mongolia:

Courtney Mares – EWTN:

Colm Flynn – EWTN:

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You can follow this papal trip to Mongolia in two special ways:

• https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/tags/987/pope-francis-in-mongolia
• https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9CQlldupc5-eg9x3uxCPSeZMT8A4AKP7

IN THE UNITED STATES, you can listen to Vatican Insider (VI) on a Catholic radio station near you (stations listed at www.ewtn.com) or on channel 130 Sirius-XM satellite radio, or on http://www.ewtn.com. OUTSIDE THE U.S., you can listen to EWTN radio on our website home page by clicking on the right side where you see “LISTEN TO EWTN.” VI airs at 5am and 9pm ET on Saturdays and 6am ET on Sundays. On the GB-IE feed (which is on SKY in the UK and Ireland), VI airs at 5:30am, 12 noon and 10pm CET on Sundays. Both of these feeds are also available on the EWTN app and on www.ewtnradio.net ALWAYS CHECK YOUR OWN TIME ZONE! For VI archives: https://www.ewtn.com/radio/audio-archive –  write the name of the guest for whom you are searching in the SEARCH box. Below that, will appear “Vatican Insider” – click on that and the link to that particular episode will appear.

 

POPE FRANCIS ARRIVES MONGOLIA

POPE FRANCIS ARRIVES MONGOLIA

(Courtney Mares – EWTN) As Pope Francis descended the stairs of the plane at Chinggis Khaan International Airport, he was welcomed by the Asian country’s foreign minister and a young woman who offered the pope a cup of traditional Mongolian dried curds. This boiled yoghurt speciality is made from the milk of cattle, yaks and camels, and symbolizes the nomadic culture of the Mongolian people as it one of their most common travel provisions.

(Vatican news) Speaking to the media on the flight to Mongolia, Pope Francs said, “good afternoon, good evening, thanks for this meeting, thanks for coming to this trip. I am happy. And thanks for the work you will do. Now I would like to greet you.

“Somebody pushed me to say this: Going to Mongolia is to go to a small people in a big land. Mongolia seems endless and there are few inhabitants. I think it will be good to us to understand what this very big silence means. Not intellectually but with senses. Mongolia can be understood with senses. I dare say that it will be good to listen to Borodin music that was able to express the width of Mongolia.”

(Courtney Mares photo) –

A LINK to great coverage by CNA: https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/tags/987/pope-francis-in-mongolia

ALSO: For event coverage, people can go to EWTN’s TV schedule:  https://www.ewtn.com/tv/schedule

Vatican News on papal arrival: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2023-09/pope-arrival-mongolia-apostolic-visit.html

PAPAL PLANE TAKES OFF FOR MONGOLIA

PAPAL PLANE TAKES OFF FOR MONGOLIA

Pope Francis embarks on 9 1/2 hour flight to Ulaan Baatar, capital of Mongolia where, among others, he will meet, greet and celebrate Mass for the almost 1500 Catholics in this nation of 3.3. million people: https://youtu.be/dq7HOhbx0nA

 

MONGOLIA, THE FOCUS OF POPE FRANCIS’ 43RD TRIP ABROAD – CARDINAL PAROLIN: POPE VISITS MONGOLIA AS “A PILGRIM OF HOPE FOR WHOLE WORLD” – MONGOLIAN AMBASSADOR: POPE’S VISIT PROMOTES PEACE IN THE REGION

MONGOLIA, THE FOCUS OF POPE FRANCIS’ 43RD TRIP ABROAD

When Pope Francis departs at 6:30 pm this evening for the 9 and a half hour flight to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, it will be his 43rd trip abroad since his election in March, 2013. Francis has visited visited 12 countries in the Americas, 11 in Asia and 10 in Africa, including seven countries that no previous pope had visited. It seems there remain 34 countries that no pope has ever visited.

Mongolia, described as the world’s most sparsely populated sovereign country, is an immense landlocked nation bordered by China and Russia, known for its vast expanses and nomadic culture.

In this Buddhist-majority country, Christianity is only 1.3% of the 3.3 million population. Pope Francis is the first pope to visit Mongolia whose Catholics number almost 1,500. He will be in Mongolia until September 4.

Last Sunday at the Angelus, the Holy Father said he will “embrace a Church small in numbers but vibrant in faith and great in charity,” arriving as “a brother to all”.

The only Pope to visit an even smaller Catholic population was John Paul II when he went to Azerbaijan in 2002. Popes always reside only in ecclesial buildings – the nuncio’s residence, a bishop’s residence, seminary, etc., but John Paul had to stay in a hotel in Baku, Azerbaijan. There was no bishop in Azerbaijan, therefore no bishop’s residence! At the time, there were only about 120 Catholics in the country! In 2011, an Apostolic Prefecture was instituted that oversees the Catholic Church in the country.

Mongolia also has an Apostolic Prefecture – the prefecture of Ulaanbaatar. An apostolic prefecture is “a ‘pre-diocesan’ missionary jurisdiction where the Church is not yet sufficiently developed to have a diocese.” Cardinal Giorgio Marengo, 49, a missionary in Mongolia for 20 years, created a cardinal by Francis in August 2022, is the apostolic prefect in Ulaanbaatar.

Rest assured that both of Mongolia’s neighbors, China and Russia, will be paying close attention to the papal trip and to Pope Francis’ speech on arrival on September 1 to Mongolia’s civil leaders and the local diplomatic corps, including officials from Russia, China, and North Korea.

Many are prudently asking: Was this trip planned with a strong diplomatic and geopolitical emphasis?

As the days go on, we shall see…

Also on the papal agenda are interreligious dialogue and a Mass for the country’s small Catholic population. Pope Francis’ motto for the trip is “Hoping Together.”

CARDINAL PAROLIN: POPE VISITS MONGOLIA AS “A PILGRIM OF HOPE FOR WHOLE WORLD”

In an interview with Vatican Media, Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin describes Pope Francis’ upcoming Apostolic Visit to Mongolia as a journey to confirm the country’s “small and lively” Catholic community and to strengthen the ties between the Holy See and the Asian nation.

Mongolia is ready to embrace a Pope for the first time in its history, and “expectations are high”.

In an interview with Vatican Media, the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, thus described the enthusiasm with which the small Catholic community of the Asian country is preparing to welcome the Holy Father.

In his 43rd Apostolic Journey, Pope Francis will be in the capital of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, on 1-4 September, in a nation that borders Russia and China and is five times the size of Italy with a population of around 3.3 million inhabitants.

Central to understanding the trip is the motto: “Hoping together,” because, as Cardinal Parolin explains, there is such a great need for hope, “a hope that is not an empty expectation, but that is based, at least for us Christians, on faith, that is, on the presence of God in our history, and that, at the same time, is transformed into personal and collective commitment.” FOR FULL Q&A: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2023-08/cardinal-parolin-pope-francis-mongolia-pilgrim-hope-whole-world.html

MONGOLIAN AMBASSADOR: POPE’S VISIT PROMOTES PEACE IN THE REGION

As she looks forward to welcoming Pope Francis to her country, Mongolia’s Ambassador to the Holy See, Ms. Gerelmaa Davaasuren, expresses gratitude for the historic visit, which she says will showcase Mongolia on the global stage and promote interfaith dialogue and respect for diverse beliefs, “a great contribution to maintaining peace and stability in our region and the world.”

The Mongolian Ambassador to the Holy See presented her credentials to Pope Francis in December 2022, 30 years after the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Holy See and Mongolia.

That anniversary was marked in the Vatican when a delegation of Mongolian Buddhists paid an unprecedented official visit to the Vatican and was received by Pope Francis. FOR MORE: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2023-08/pope-mongolia-apostolic-visit-ambassador-holy-see-peace-interfai.html

POPE AT AUDIENCE: ST. KATERI TEKAKWITHA SHOWS ORDINARY ACTS CAN ACHIEVE GREAT HOLINESS – HOLY FATHER ASKS PRAYERS FOR TRIP TO MONGOLIA – FRANCIS ENTRUSTS MONGOLIA TRIP TO BLESSED VIRGIN

What a day this has been!  Unexpected joys and expected changes in technology!

The joy was the interview I did this morning for Vatican Insider with a couple I met Monday at La Vittoria, Deacon Andy Orosco and his wife Roseanne, long time fans of my work.  I will soon be airing the wonderful story of his work, as a native American, with the diocese of San Bernardino’s Native American Ministry!

I have been dealing with big technical issues for a month but with EWTN staff in Lisbon for WYD for about a week and others on vacation, only today could we resolve a major problem with then arrival of a new laptop.  I have not had Word for a month and could only produce documents by writing them in my WordPress blog. However, I have been unable all that time to access my laptop Word documents!

I have Word in the new laptop but there are still some wrinkles that that will have to be ironed out before I can use it on a daily basis.  I’m on my old laptop to write this column as WordPress is not functioning on the new one.  I fully realize it will take some time for me to feel at home.

There were a number of interesting news stories today, several of which related to the papal trip to Mongolia – Francis leaves tomorrow – and I’ll cover that news then.  In the mean time, here are links to some stories that might interest you. Today’s general audience is a truly delightful read!

POPE AT AUDIENCE: ST. KATERI TEKAKWITHA SHOWS ORDINARY ACTS CAN ACHIEVE GREAT HOLINESS

During his Wednesday General Audience, Pope Francis praises the apostolic zeal of Saint Káteri Tekakwitha, first Native American saint of North America, saying her faith began in her family, her sufferings drew her to the Cross, and her ordinary, holy actions offer a powerful example. TO CONTINUE: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2023-08/pope-francis-audience-remembers-saint-kateri-tekakwitha.html

HOLY FATHER ASKS PRAYERS FOR TRIP TO MONGOLIA

In his remarks to Spanish-speaking pilgrims at his weekly general audience in the Vatican on Wednesday, the Pope recalled his departure on Thursday evening. He will spend four days in the Asian nation to show the Church’s closeness to its some 1,500 faithful. “Tomorrow afternoon I will leave for the Asian continent to visit my brothers and sisters in Mongolia. I ask you to accompany me on this journey with your prayers,” he said. TO CONTINUE: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2023-08/pope-requests-prayers-of-faithful-for-apostolic-journey-mongolia.html

FRANCIS ENTRUSTS MONGOLIA TRIP TO BLESSED VIRGIN

Pope Francis travelled across Rome on Wednesday afternoon to make a brief stop at the Basilica of St. Mary Major. This is the 111th time the Holy Father has visited the Papal Basilica to pray at the icon before, or upon his return from, an Apostolic Journey. TO CONTINUE: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2023-08/pope-francis-apostolic-journey-mongolia-our-lady-entrusted.html

POPE FRANCIS IN MONGOLIA: FOR THE CHURCH,PRIORITY IS NOT NUMBERS – POPE TELLS JESUITS INCLUSIVITY, DOCTRINAL EVOLUTION, SYNODALITY ARE CRUCIAL TO CHURCH

Pope Francis departs Thursday, August 31, for Mongolia, the 43rd apostolic trip abroad of his pontificate. So much to say about this trip, including the possible diplomatic, geopolitical considerations of this visit to a country bordered by Russia and China!  Tune in today to “At Home with Jim and Joy”.

POPE FRANCIS IN MONGOLIA: FOR THE CHURCH, PRIORITY IS NOT NUMBERS

A quote from St Paul VI helps us to understand the reasons for Pope Francis’ upcoming journey to Mongolia.

By Andrea Tornielli (Vatican news)

Pope Francis is about to leave for Mongolia, a visit he has “longed for,” and one that was already contemplated in the unrealized plans of St. John Paul II, after missionaries revived a Christian community in the early 1990s. The Church that will receive the embrace of the Successor of Peter in the heart of Asia is a Church “small in numbers, but lively in faith and great in charity.” Pope Francis will meet not only the country’s 1,500 Catholics, but all the “noble” and “wise” Mongolian people with their great Buddhist tradition.

St. Peter and Paul cathedral, Ulaanbaatar:

Why is the pope going to Mongolia? Why is he devoting five days of his schedule (two days of travel plus three days on the ground) to visiting such a small group of Catholics? Is “geopolitics” involved since it is a trip to a country that borders the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China? In fact, the motivation for the pilgrimage to the peripheries of Asia has no “geopolitical” implications and is certainly not the defining trait of Jorge Mario Bergoglio’s pontificate. TO CONTINUE: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2023-08/pope-in-mongolia-for-the-church-it-s-not-just-about-numbers.html

POPE TELLS JESUITS INCLUSIVITY, DOCTRINAL EVOLUTION, SYNODALITY ARE CRUCIAL TO CHURCH

The Jesuit publication “La Civiltà Cattolica” publishes a transcript of the dialogue between Pope Francis and the Jesuits of Portugal during the Pontiff’s visit to Lisbon for WYD 2023. In the conversation, the Holy Father addresses a range of topics, sharing insights on the Church’s challenges and his vision for inclusivity, doctrinal development, and the Synod.
By Francesca Merlo (Vatican news)

In an open dialogue with the Jesuits of Lisbon during his visit to Portugal for World Youth Day, Pope Francis engaged with them in conversation and covered a wide array of topics, sharing profound insights on the Church’s contemporary challenges and his vision for inclusivity, doctrinal progression, and the Synod.

Inclusivity takes centre stage
Central to the discussion was the theme of inclusivity. Throughout World Youth Day in Lisbon, the rallying cry for an all-embracing Church resonated powerfully with the words “Todos, todos” (Everyone, everyone), pronounced by Pope Francis as he stressed that the Church “has space for everyone”. He emphasized the pivotal importance of creating a space for all individuals, irrespective of their sexual orientation or gender identity, within the Church. This message continued to echo through his exchange with the Jesuits of Portugal.

Acceptance for all
The Pope reiterated his call to embrace homosexual people within the Church. He critiqued the disproportionate fixation on sexual transgressions, noting that other ‘offenses’ often remain overlooked. He emphasized the need for a pastorally sensitive and imaginative approach to accompany individuals on their spiritual journeys.

The Pope also recounted an encounter with a group of transgender individuals who were moved to tears by the Pope’s acceptance and empathy. He underscored the necessity of reaching out to marginalized communities who often grapple with feelings of rejection, and he accentuated the significance of empathy and compassion. TO CONTINUE: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2023-08/pope-francis-civilta-cattolica-spadaro-jesuits-world-youth-day.html

 

PROGRAMME, LOGO AND MOTTO OF POPE FRANCIS’ APOSTOLIC VISIT TO MONGOLIA

Some very interesting information on Pope Francis’ scheduled trip to Mongolia at the end of August and start of September. I was fascinated as I read the article as I kept looking for the name Cardinal Giorgio Marengo, the Italian missionary bishop who, since April 2, 2020 has been the Apostolic Prefect of UlaanBataar, Mongolia. Francis created him a cardinal on August 27, 2022, an amazing appointment because Mongolia has only about 1,300 Catholics! He is the youngest member of the College of Cardinals, having turned 49 on June 7.

I finally found his name – the last three words of the story!

JFL photos 8-27-22

PROGRAMME, LOGO AND MOTTO OF POPE FRANCIS’ APOSTOLIC VISIT TO MONGOLIA

The Holy See Press Office releases details of Pope Francis’ end of summer visit to the Republic of Mongolia, which bears the motto “Hoping Together.”

By Linda Bordoni

During a historic visit to the Republic of Mongolia, Pope Francis will meet with political authorities, address representatives of the Catholic Church and participate in an ecumenical and interreligious meeting. He also will meet with charity workers and celebrate Holy Mass in a sports arena.

A statement released on Thursday by the Holy See Press Office lists the events that make up the Pope’s 43rd international apostolic journey.

The news that the Pope had accepted the invitation of the president of Mongolia and local Church authorities was announced in June, together with the dates of the visit: 31 August to 4 September 2023.

According to the schedule released by the Press Office on Thursday, 6 July, Pope Francis will depart from Rome’s Fiumicino Airport on the evening of Thursday, 31 August to arrive at Ulaanbaatar’s “Chinggis Khaan” International Airport on Friday, 1 September at 10 am local time when a welcome ceremony will take place.

The Pope will stay in the capital city, Ulaanbaatar, throughout the visit.

The Programme

On Saturday, 2 September, the Holy Father will be greeted at a welcome ceremony in Ulaanbaatar’s Sukhbaatar Square before paying a courtesy visit to the President of Mongolia at the State Palace.

Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh, also referred to as Khürelsükh Ukhnaa, is the 6th and current president of Mongolia, beginning his term on 25 June 2021 after winning the 2021 Mongolian presidential election.

Pope Francis will then make his first official discourse during a meeting with authorities, civil society and the Diplomatic Corps in the “Ikh Mongol” hall of the State Palace.

Following this, he will meet with the chairman of the State Great Hural (Parliament of Mongolia) and with Prime Minister, Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene.

In the afternoon of Friday, the Pope will meet bishops, priests, missionaries and consecrated persons as well as pastoral workers whom he will address in Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral.

On Sunday, 3 September, the Pope will participate, in the morning, in an Ecumenical and Interreligious Meeting in Ulaanbaatar’s “Hun Theatre.”

On Sunday afternoon he will celebrate Holy Mass in the “Steppe Arena” winter sports stadium.

On Monday, 4 September, the last day of the Pope’s visit, he will inaugurate a charity center – the House of Mercy – and meet with its staff and volunteers before bidding farewell during a Farewell Ceremony at the “Chinggis Khan” airport.

He is scheduled to depart at noon local time and arrive in Rome the same day in the late afternoon, making up for a six-hour time difference between Mongolia and Italy.

“Hoping Together”

Releasing the motto of the apostolic journey – Hoping Together – the Holy See Press Office explained that it was chosen to emphasize “the double meaning of the Holy Father’s Apostolic Journey to Mongolia: that of a pastoral visit and of a state visit”.

“Hope.” a purely Christian virtue, a statement added, is one that is also widely shared in non-Christian circles. “By associating it with the adverb ‘Together’, the motto “underscores the importance of bilateral cooperation between the Holy See and Mongolia.”

 Hoping Together represents a common ideal and also an element that will characterize the journey.

“The presence of the Holy Father represents for this small portion of the People of God a sign of great hope and encouragement and on the other hand the Church that is in Mongolia, with its smallness and marginality, can offer a sign of hope for the universal Church”, the Press Office said.

The logo

The Press Office statement also elaborated on the logo that features a map of Mongolia outlined in the red and blue, the colours of the national flag.

Within the borders is the shape of a ger (a traditional Mongolian dwelling), from which yellow smoke (the colour of the Vatican) flows upwards.

To the right of the ger is a cross. The ger and the cross are contained between two vertical inscriptions, in traditional Mongolian language, which echo the motto  – “Hoping Together”).

The first Pope to visit Mongolia

Pope Francis is the first Pope to visit the East Asian country that borders Russia and China. With just 3.3 million inhabitants it is the world’s most sparsely populated sovereign state.

After the collapse of China’s Qing dynasty in 1911, Mongolia achieved independence from the Republic of China in 1921 after which it operated as a satellite state of the Soviet Union.

After a peaceful Democratic Revolution and the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, the current social democratic Mongolian’s People’s Party reshaped the country’s political landscape and introduced a new constitution.

The end of religious repression in 1990 allowed for a rebirth of religious freedom and in the majority Buddhist nation, Catholic missionaries returned to rebuild the Church in 1992. There are currently some 1,300 baptised Catholics in the country, administrated by Italian Cardinal Giorgio Marengo.

 

IN BRIEF

IN BRIEF

SATURDAY: The Vatican announced on June 3^rd that Pope Francis will visit Mongolia from August 31 to September 4. Mongolia has just under 1,500 Catholics but it does have a cardinal, Italian born Giorgio Marengo, apostolic prefect of Ulaanbaatar! Pope Francis to make Apostolic Journey to Mongolia – Vatican News Also: Cardinal Marengo: Pope’s Mongolia visit an encouragement for Catholics – Vatican News

ALSO SATURDAY: At noon, Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica, performed a penitential rite at the Altar of the Confession as required by canon law when a desecration of an altar takes place. Canon 1211 treats cases of desecration. Such an act happened last Thursday evening, just before the basilica closed, when a Polish man stripped naked and climbed atop the papal altar. The words “Save children of Ukraine” were written on his back in English. He was handed over to Italian police, according to an Italy-Holy See Treaty. Penitential rite held at St. Peter’s for desecration of Altar of Confession – Vatican News

MONDAY: Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, a special papal envoy, today began a two-day trip to Kyiv, Ukraine on a peace-seeking mission to resolve the war between Russia and Ukraine. A Vatican communique announced the trip over the weekend. Zuppi’s appointment as papal envoy had been announced May 20. Cardinal Zuppi in Ukraine, exploring “ways to achieve a just peace” – Vatican News