The life and martyrdom of St. Agnes are shrouded in varied stories. While her burial site, age, and place of death are known, much about her life remains uncertain.

On the occasion of Trump's inauguration as the 47th president of the United States, Pope Francis offers prayers for “wisdom, strength, and protection” in the exercise of his duties and invoking blessings upon the “beloved American people.”

Catholic leaders in the Holy Land expressed cautious optimism this week that pilgrims will be able to return to the region amid a new ceasefire and hostage release agreement in Gaza, which went into effect on Sunday.

Pope Francis criticized potential plans for mass deportations in the United States under President-elect Donald Trump during a wide-ranging Italian television interview on Sunday.

Pope Francis on Sunday thanked the mediators who brokered the latest cease-fire deal in Gaza which came into effect on Jan. 19.

As millions of pilgrims are expected for the jubilee year in Rome, Pope Francis praised the patient service of the Swiss Guard and support for their families on Saturday.

Italian farmers, who are among this year’s pilgrims of hope for the 2025 Jubilee, brought their animals to the Vatican on Friday to be blessed by Cardinal Mauro Gambetti on the feast of St. Anthony the Abbot.

The Vatican’s top diplomat has called the gradual release of 553 prisoners in Cuba “a sign of great hope” at the beginning of the Catholic Church’s jubilee year.

The Vatican said Thursday that Pope Francis had suffered a “contusion” on his right forearm after falling at his residence that same morning.

Israel and Hamas forces have agreed to a ceasefire deal that will pause fighting in Gaza and facilitate a hostage exchange, according to several news reports on Wednesday afternoon. 

At Pope Francis’ request, the Vatican will now pay a monthly bonus of 300 euros (around $309) per family to employees of the city-state who have three or more children, giving credibility to his frequent warnings about countries’ low fertility rates.

Pope Francis on Wednesday called for a global commitment to eradicate child labor, saying injustices committed against “the invisible little ones” are a gross violation against God’s commandments.

The Vatican City State’s first decree regulating the use of artificial intelligence quietly came into effect this month prohibiting discriminatory uses of AI.

While few Holy Land Christians will be able to travel to Rome for the special yearlong celebration, they will celebrate the jubilee where the Church began.

The Amerigo Vespucci, an Italian naval ship named after the 15th-century explorer that inspired the name “America,” has been designated a 2025 Jubilee church.

The beatification cause of Sister Clare Crockett, an inspirational young Irish religious sister who died in 2016, formally opened Sunday.

Pope Francis expressed his condolences Saturday to Los Angeles communities affected by devastating wildfires that have destroyed homes and churches, including the historic Corpus Christi Catholic Church.

A new tour of the Vatican Gardens at the pope’s summer palace in Castel Gandolfo is opening in the spring for jubilee pilgrims.

The cause for canonization of Argentine businessman Enrique Shaw took another step forward this week as the alleged miracle attributed to his intercession passed the medical stage.

Pope Francis kicked off the first Saturday jubilee audience of 2025 by urging pilgrims to embrace hope as a divine strength that enables new beginnings, drawing inspiration from St. John the Baptist.

The Syro-Malabar Church announced a significant leadership change on Saturday as Archbishop Joseph Pamplany was appointed vicar of the major archbishop for the Archeparchy of Ernakulam-Angamaly.

At the end of this month, Rome will host the first jubilee event of the holy year to take place following the opening of the Holy Doors: the Jubilee of the World of Communications.

Pope Francis on Sunday celebrated the feast of the Baptism of the Lord by baptizing 21 babies in the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel and praying the Angelus with pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square.

At the Jan. 8 audience in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall, Pope Francis and attendees enjoyed a circus show with acrobatics and two animatronic elephants stealing the spotlight.