Prevsot celebrated the Jubilee of the Gypsy communities, commemorating the 60th anniversary of the first meeting with St Paul VI. He praised the “exemplary faith in works and words” of the Roma, Sinti and Caminanti. Often marginalised by “advanced” societies. To operators and dioceses: “Adequate pastoral care for integral human growth”.
Tomorrow the Armenian Catholic archbishop, martyr of the 1915 genocide, will be raised to the altar of the saints in a ceremony in St Peter's. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Patriarch Minassian will be present, along with hundreds of faithful from the diaspora. For many Armenians, ‘this historic day is also a day of justice’.
The creation of a platform at the Council of Europe for dialogue with the democratic forces in Russia that oppose Vladimir Putin's regime is hampered by internal divisions between the various groups, including criticism of the Anti-Corruption Fund created by Alexei Navalny. Vladimir Kara-Murza's appeal: ‘Every political prisoner must be able to count on not being forgotten’.
Today's headlines: 59 South Koreans detained in Cambodia for online fraud have been repatriated. Mongolian Prime Minister Gombojav resigned after a parliamentary vote of no confidence. Pakistan and Afghanistan have extended the ceasefire while they meet in Doha. Hamas has returned the body of another alleged dead hostage.
This morning Leo XIV received at the Apostolic Palace a group of Russian Catholics in Rome for their Jubilee pilgrimage. He invited them to light “the fire of Christian love" and warm the “most hardened hearts” in a world brutalised by war. With charity and hope, a "new world" can be built from the “ruins”. The icon of the Salus Populi Romani is "the sign of the Holy Year”.
After scaling NEOM and other infrastructure, Saudi authorities plan to develop Islam's holy city. The King Salman Gate project was unveiled this week, covering 12 million square metres and provide 300,000 jobs over 10 years. Commercial, cultural, and residential spaces are also planned. But there are also critics.
