My visit to the Italian capital on the first week of March was split into two parts, namely meetings in order to develop religious tourism and a meeting with the Pope in order to present to him the artistic painting of the displaced.

For the first part of the visit, I was invited by the Opera Romana Pellegrinaggi, the Vatican touristic arm, to continue the discussion that started in Jordan in the wake of the visit undertaken by a delegation from this renowned institution to the Kingdom at the invitation of the Jordan Tourism Board and Royal Jordanian.

The Coptic Orthodox Church quickly recognized the 21 Coptic faithful beheaded by ISIS in Libya as martyrs who will be included in calendar of saints. A question arose whether the Catholic Coptic Church would give them the same status. The answer is a firm “yes,” Bishop Kyrillos William Samaan told international Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need.

Two Catholics have given their lives to prevent a bigger massacre. At the funeral, the Archbishop of Lahore called on Christians to react “with prayers only”.

Their names were Akash Bashir (19) and Zahid Yousaf (42). They are the latest martyrs of the Catholic Church of Pakistan. These are the two men who sacrificed themselves in front of St. John’s church in order to stop suicide bombers from blowing themselves up among the faithful attending Sunday mass.

On this very day, March 13, but in the year 2013, a new Pontiff stood at the podium in the Vatican and gave himself a simple name "Francis". He emerged without wearing the traditional red attires on the election day. He pointed out since the very first moment that change was coming to the Church by concentrating on the human essence rather on significant jubilations, namely the real essence of the Christian life, which is represented in the love for God and the love for the neighbors, especially the pained, the suffering, the sad, the poor and the marginalized neighbours.

What is an indulgence and what is the tradition based on? Martin Luther was scandalised by the abuse of indulgences. What is the significance of indulgences today?

The Catholic Center for Studies and Media (CCSM) in Jordan has expressed pride in the historic speech made by His Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein to the Jordanian people. A statement released by CCSM Director Fr. Rif'at Bader said: The speech has diagnosed illness and lit the way towards the future, since the current and future eras require conversion of beautiful words into constructive deeds that add every day new brick to the structure of dear Jordanian national unity.

Following suicide attacks at Christian churches in Pakistan Sunday, March 15, Pope Francis begged God to bring an end to persecution of Christians around the world. The pontiff also indirectly criticized the world's lack of attention to the issue

Pope Francis on Sunday poignantly begged God to bring an end to persecution of Christians around the world, as he expressed "much pain" over two fatal suicide attacks at churches in Pakistan earlier in the day.

His Majesty's King Abdullah 11’s speech to the European Parliament in Strasbourg last week had a resounding impact among world leaders and peoples since he affirmed that Jordan will not allow the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria to hijack our religion, distort its image and defame our noble values . Arabs and Moslems should be the ones defeating and uprooting that Satanic plant committing hideous murders using the name of our God and religion.

n a surprise announcement, Francis has declared an Extraordinary Holy Year which will begin on 8 December 2015 and conclude on 20 November 2016, the Feast of Christ the King. The Holy Door will be opened to mark the occasion

Fr. Rafiq Khoury, one of the priests of the Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem, has issued his second book of the new series which can be added to more than 15 books he had authored. He is also the responsible editor of the magazine "Al-Liqa'' published in Bethlehem by "Al-Liqa Center" which he himself founded alongside Dr. Jiryes Khoury for more than a quarter of a century.

This magazine is still being published despite the political storms that undermine a lot of intellectual and cultural projects.