Top 1: Cardinal Pizzaballa reconsecrates Holy Land to Our Lady, Queen of Palestine 

On the feast day of Our Lady, Queen of Palestine and the Holy Land, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pizzaballa reconsecrated the local Church and the entire land to her. He presided over a Mass at the shrine dedicated to the Blessed Mother in Deir Rafat in the presence of a few hundred faithful. The shrine is located halfway between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem in the regions of ancient Palestine on the border of biblical Philistine. 

Top 2: Pontifex met women who escaped the Mafia 

Pope Francis encouraged a group of women who escaped criminal organizations in Italy. The Holy Father said: “You, dear women, were born and raised in contexts corrupted by Mafia crime, and you have decided to come out of it. I bless this choice of yours, and I encourage you to move forward”. He added: “You are not alone; keep fighting.”  

Top 3: Pope has lifted the statute of limitations on Rupnik case 

The Vatican announced that Pope Francis has decided to lift the statute of limitations in the case of Father Marko Rupnik, the former Jesuit priest and mosaic artist who is accused of serious abuses against women. Following the revelation earlier that Rupnik had returned to priestly ministry in a diocese in his native Slovenia despite the allegations, the Holy See Press Office released a statement saying that the pontiff had asked for a review of Rupnik’s case.  

Top 4: Pope sends ‘blessings of strength and peace’ after shooting in Maine 

Pope Francis said he is praying for strength and peace for the community of Lewiston, Maine, after the city experienced two deadly mass shootings. The shootings at a restaurant and a bowling alley in Maine’s second most populous city, in the southern part of the state, left 18 people dead and 13 people injured. “With first trust that aided by God’s grace we can overcome evil with good,” says the Vatican statement, “the Holy Father invokes upon the people of Lewiston and indeed the entire country, almighty God’s blessings of strength and peace.” 

Top 5: Christmas 2023 at the Vatican: Nativity to recall St. Francis’ first-ever manger scene 

The Vatican said that the Christmas 2023 Nativity scene in Rome will evoke the first-ever live manger, which was created by St. Francis of Assisi in Italy in the 1200s. The Vatican’s Nativity scene, which is different every year, will be unveiled at a ceremony in St. Peter’s Square on Dec. 9. The Christmas tree will also be lit for the first time this season at the same event.