The Israeli mayor of Jerusalem, Nir Barkat, made a press conference last week during which he admitted that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had allocated nearly one billion dollars to rejuvenate the old city. The concept is to make it attractive to the four- billion potential tourists who would love to visit the sacred places.Part of the five-year master plan is to impose a Jewish character to the old city, irrespective of Islamic or Christian historical monuments or places of worship.

The C9’s work on Curia reform and the first proposals for change have been presented in the Vatican. Müller says doctrine-related tasks cannot be passed on to the Bishops’ Conferences.

This is the fifth year in a row in which the Interfaith Harmony Week (first week of February) has been marked. This day, the brainchild of the Jordanian Hashemite thought, was unanimously adopted at the United Nations. But this year's marking had a special specialty, for how can we talk about harmony at a time when this year witnessed the emergence of violence, extremism and wrong manipulation of religion, as well as “passive” views of hatred being aired on satellites stations and social networking sites?

The video of the Islamic State’s fiery execution of Muaz Kasasbeh last week was the nadir in the terrorist group’s death-cult self-promotion. Revulsion at the act, however, may well signal the decline of the terrorist group. It has proved a tipping point that finally galvanized Arab governments, cross-border tribes and a reluctant public into determined action to combat and defeat the group.

Fr. Lombardi has issued a statement clarifying the Pope’s actual words at the General Audience, in light of certain “interpretations”. Ahead of the Consistory, the C9 is holding “hearings” on the Pontifical Council of Culture and the reform of the Vatican media.

One of the 20 Catholic prelates who will be named a cardinal by Pope Francis on Saturday, February 8, is Ethiopian Catholic Archbishop Berhaneyesus Souraphiel of Addis Ababa.

One of the 20 Catholic prelates who will be named a cardinal by Pope Francis on Saturday has called for the Vatican to focus its energies towards speaking on behalf of suffering people around the world, saying it should be "the voice of the voiceless."

The Catholic Center for Studies and Media (CCSM) has denounced the execution of Jordanian pilot Muaz Kasasbeh by terrorist “ISIS” organization and called on the Churches in the Kingdom to ring bells of sadness at 12:00 noon as well as to celebrate special Masses and hold prayers at 6:00pm.

At this Mass in St. Martha’s House, on Friday, February 8, Francis talked about "the martyrs of our times, men, women, children who are being persecuted, hated, driven out of their homes, tortured, massacred... who are meeting their end under the authority of corrupt people who hate Jesus Christ”

In 2015 many Christians are victims of “people who hate Jesus Christ”, just as they were in the past, Francis commented in the homily he pronounced at this morning’s mass in St. Martha’s House, where he meditated on the life and death of St. John the Baptist, Vatican Radio reports.

At the General Audience, on Wednesday, February 4, Francis sent out an appeal for peace and talked about good fathers who are present but not “controlling”, able to correct but also to forgive

Sarajevo was once a shining example of a multi-ethnic and multireligious city. But the Balkan war and the three-year siege marred relations between its various communities. The Pope will spur reconciliation.