Despite the ever-present threat of violence simmering just below the surface in a land brimming with cultural and religious significance, the mood was nevertheless upbeat in the town of Jesus Christ’s birth.

Vendors at the annual Christmas Market in Manger Square, held across the street from the Church of the Nativity, faced a steady stream of shoppers, mostly Christians, who spent a long time mingling with family and friends in the winter sun. Nearly two dozen booths sold a wide assortment of gifts, from hand-embroidered purses to Christmas decorations.

Francis meets heads of dicasteries for the traditional Christmas greetings, making an indirect reference to Vatileaks 2: reform is to go ahead with determination. Scandals cannot conceal “the efficiency of the Roman Curia’s dedicated service to the Pope and the whole Church”. We need to “return to what is essential”: the list of character traits required of those serving in the Vatican include: exemplarity, faithfulness, honesty, maturity, humility, trustworthiness and sobriety.

Jordan marks this year the 40th anniversary of the unification of the dates of two major Christian holidays, namely Christmas and Easter. As for the mechanism adopted by Jordan, the heads of Churches agreed since 1975 to have the faithful who follow the Gregorian calendar celebrate Easter alongside their brethren who follow the Julian calendar.

All the Churches celebrate Christmas on December 25 every year.

Pope Francis appealed for peace in Syria on Sunday, calling on the international community to realize in concrete action and genuine fact the endorsement of a UN-sponsored roadmap toward peace in the war-torn nation.

Pope Francis appealed for peace in Syria on Sunday, calling on the international community to realize in concrete action and genuine fact the endorsement of a UN-sponsored roadmap toward peace in the war-torn nation.

The canonization date, September 4, is to be announced at the upcoming Consistory. The miracle attributed to her intercession and recognised by doctors from the medical council of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints was approved by the dicastery’s cardinals and bishops and yesterday, Italian Catholic newspaper Avvenire announced that the Pope has now also given his approval.

The Archbishop of Calcutta says Mother Teresa “made of her life a corporal and spiritual work of mercy” and is an antidote to today’s “throwaway culture”.

For the first time in history, one of the resolutions enjoys a global consensus, without any opposition. A total of 195 countries participating in the Paris Climate Conference voted in favor of a historic agreement to save the Earth and to fight global warming.

In his audience with the new ambassadors of Guinea, Latvia, India and Bahrain, the Pope on Thursday,December 17, repeated the appeals he made in his World Day of Peace message, regarding the environment, unemployment, immigrants and prisoners.

Pope Francis has called on Catholics around the world to use the ongoing Jubilee year of mercy to “open wide” the doors of their hearts to forgive others and to work against social exclusion, even of those that may have caused them bother or upset.

In his weekly audience, in St. Peter’s Square Wednesday, December 16, the Pontiff said that walking through any of the holy doors open in dioceses around the world for the Jubilee year should be a sign of “true conversion of our heart.”

In this year’s Christmas message, the Patriarch of Jerusalem has invited the Holy Land’s parishes to switch off their Christmas tree lights for five minutes in solidarity with the those who tragically lost their lives in recent months. Addressing the Middle East which has been rocked to its core by wars and intifadas, he said: “Mercy is a political act par excellence”.