You heard of the popemobile, now meet the papal lawn mower

Pope Leo XIV receives an electric lawn mower from Czech manufacturer Swardman during a general audience in mid-November 2025. / Credit: Photo courtesy of SwardmanRome Newsroom, Dec 7, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).The Vatican's gardeners have a new tool for maintaining the papal grounds: a custom-designed electric lawn mower bearing the Holy See's coat of arms.Pope Leo XIV received the white Electra 2.0 mower during a general audience in mid-November, a gift from Czech manufacturer Swardman.The specially commissioned model features leather-lined handles and was hand-assembled at the company's facility in Šardice, Czech Republic. "It was an incredibly powerful experience full of humility and respect," Jakub Dvorák, the company's sales manager who personally presented the gift, told CNA. "The pontiff appreciated the Vatican's coat of arms placed on the appliance, listened with interest as we explained how it functions, and thanked us very politely."The quiet, precision-cutting mower is d...

New print journal for 'intellectual Catholic women' to be released in April

Promo photo for the The Better Part Journal of shadows of Madonna lilies for the Blessed Virgin Mary. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Heidi Bollich-ErneWashington, D.C. Newsroom, Dec 7, 2025 / 09:00 am (CNA).While teaching an ethics and culture course, Heidi Bollich-Erne was looking for a journal featuring the work of Catholic women for her students to read. After being told that it simply didn't exist, she decided to create one herself.With the help of a team of women, Bollich-Erne has founded what she calls the "first intellectual Catholic women's journal." Its purpose is to not only define the feminine genius but also to show how faithful women can embody its beauty in their daily lives. "I want women to find a home, a place that values their work. The journal itself is edited, written, and published solely by Catholic women," Bollich-Erne told CNA. "The way that women write, the way that we express ourselves is very different. That's just who we are. That's part of the ge...

'Peace is possible,' Pope Leo XIV says after visits to Turkey and Lebanon

Pope Leo XIV addresses pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican for the Angelus on December 7, 2025. / Vatican MediaVatican City, Dec 7, 2025 / 09:00 am (CNA).Pope Leo XIV on Sunday said his apostolic journey to Turkey and Lebanon showed that "peace is possible," pointing to renewed steps toward Christian unity and powerful encounters with the Lebanese people still seeking justice after the 2020 Beirut port explosion.Speaking after the Angelus to pilgrims gathered in St Peter's Square on Dec. 7, the pope recalled praying in Iznik, ancient Nicea, with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, considered first among equals among Eastern Orthodox bishops, and representatives of other Christian communities on the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea. Marking Sunday's 60th anniversary of the Common Declaration between Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras, Leo said, "We give thanks to God and renew our dedication to journeying towards the full visible unity ...

Philadelphia Archdiocese prays St. Andrew novena for fallen away Catholics

The Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Philadelphia. / Credit: Mehdi Kasumov/ShutterstockCNA Staff, Dec 6, 2025 / 14:30 pm (CNA).The Archdiocese of Philadelphia is mobilizing Catholics this Advent to pray the St. Andrew Christmas Novena prayer 15 times daily for a single intention: the reconciliation of the 83% of baptized Catholics in the archdiocese who no longer participate in the sacramental life of the Church.The "St. Andrew Novena for the 83%," organized by the archdiocese's Office for the New Evangelization, is running from Nov. 30 through Dec. 24. Participants are asked to recite the traditional prayer 15 times each day while praying specifically for the grace of reconciliation for loved ones currently disconnected from the faith."The novena is an opportunity for practicing Catholics to pray intentionally for their loved ones who are currently disconnected from their Catholic faith. It's also an opportunity to pray in communion with hundreds of fellow Catholic...

On visit to Detroit, patriarch of Jerusalem focuses on hope for Holy Land Christians

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, speaks with members of Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity (SOLT), during a Dec. 5, 2025 fundraising dinner to support of Christians in the Holy Land at St. John's Resort in Plymouth, Michigan. / Credit: Courtesy of Detroit Catholic, photos by Tim Fuller.Ann Arbor, Michigan, Dec 6, 2025 / 15:30 pm (CNA).Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, expressed cautious hope for peace in Gaza, calling on people of the region to combat hatred and "think differently" about each other. Pizzaballa, whose authority extends over Latin Catholics in Israel, Palestine, Jordan, and Cyprus, also holds the office of grand prior of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre. He began a four-day pastoral visit to metro Detroit on Dec. 4, celebrating Mass with the Chaldean community at St. Thomas Chaldean Catholic Church in West Bloomfield, Michigan. Detroit Archbishop Edward J. Weisenburger and Ch...

Christ Pratt to release documentary on tomb of St. Peter

Chris Pratt speaks at the 2016 San Diego Comic Con International for "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego. / Credit: Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia CommonsCNA Staff, Dec 6, 2025 / 12:00 pm (CNA).American actor Chris Pratt, best known for his roles in "Guardians of the Galaxy" and "Jurassic World," is currently filming a documentary on the Vatican Necropolis, which lies underneath Vatican City containing tombs dating from the first to fourth century A.D., at depths varying between 16 and 39 feet below St. Peter's Basilica. The film, which is being produced by Vatican Media, the Fabric of St. Peter, and AF Films, will be released in 2026 for the 400th anniversary of the inauguration and dedication of the basilica. Pratt will guide viewers on a journey to discover the tomb of St. Peter through stories of faith, history, and archaeology."It is an extraordinary honor to partne...

New Slovak Virgin Mary mosaic highlights spiritual bonds between Slovakia and Vatican

Archbishop Bernard Bober of Košice, president of the Slovak Bishops' Conference, blesses the new mosaic of Our Lady of Sorrows in the Vatican Gardens at a ceremony attended by Slovak President Peter Pellegrini and Vatican officials on Dec. 5, 2025 / Credit: Bohumil PetríkEWTN News, Dec 6, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).Just before the feast of the Immaculate Conception, a mosaic of Our Lady of Sorrows, Protectress of Slovakia, was inaugurated in the Vatican Gardens. Archbishop Bernard Bober of Košice, president of the Slovak Bishops' Conference, blessed the artwork during a ceremony attended by Slovak President Peter Pellegrini, whom Pope Leo XIV received in audience the day before.Among other bishops and diplomats, two cardinals took part: the dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Re, and Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches.Slovak President Peter Pellegrini and Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti unveil the new Slovak Our Lady of Sorrows m...

5 things to know and share about St. Nicholas

St. Nicholas, by Jaroslav Cermák (1831-1878). / Credit: Galerie Art Praha via Wikimedia (public domain)Vatican City, Dec 6, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA).St. Nicholas, whose feast day is celebrated on Dec. 6, is known to possibly be the real-life inspiration for the beloved Christmas character of Santa Claus.Not a lot is known about the historical Nicholas, who was bishop of Myra, a Greek city in modern-day Turkey, during the fourth century A.D. But there are many stories and legends that explain his reputation as a just and upright man, charitable gift-giver, and miracle-worker.Here are five things to know and share about St. Nicholas:1. There is a legend behind why St. Nicholas is the patron saint of children.Many people know that St. Nicholas is the patron saint of children, but they may not know why he has that title.There is a grisly legend that says that during a famine in Myra, three young boys were lured into a butcher's shop, where they were killed and then brined in a wooden ...

Christmas 2025: Handmade gifts from 14 Catholic monasteries

The contemplative Sisters of the Monastery of Bethlehem in Livingston Manor, New York, support themselves by offering their hand-painted chinaware and other unique gifts for sale. / Credit: Monastery of BethlehemWashington, D.C. Newsroom, Dec 6, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).Many monasteries and communities of religious brothers and sisters depend on proceeds from the sales of their products to sustain their lives of prayer and service throughout the year. These days, most have online gift shops that will ship your purchases to arrive before Christmas.Here's a guide to some of our favorite handmade gifts to give and receive this year:Fudge and candyMonk Bakery Gifts, Monastery of the Holy Spirit: Monks in Conyers, Georgia, make their famous fudge with premium chocolate and real butter. Try a 12-ounce gift box for $15. And for a taste of Georgia, try their Southern Touch fudge, "made with real peach morsels, pecans, and a touch of peach brandy."Monastery Candy, Our Lady of the Mississip...

The saint of Christmas and ecumenism: Bari celebrates St. Nicholas

Statue of St. Nicholas, the patron saint of Bari, Italy, at the Pontifical Basilica of St. Nicholas. / Credit: Veronica Giacometti/ACI StampaACI Stampa, Dec 6, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).The people of Bari, a city in southern Italy, have a deep devotion to St. Nicholas, their patron saint and beloved protector."How can you not love St. Nicholas? And how can you not feel loved by St. Nicholas?" Father Giovanni Distante, the rector of Bari's Pontifical Basilica of St. Nicholas, told ACI Stampa, CNA's Italian-language news partner."The relationship between the people of Bari and St. Nicholas is one of love," the rector continued, "a relationship that began in 1087 and continues to this day."On Dec. 6, Bari, Italy, is filled with "illuminations," a choreographed display of lights in the narrow streets of the city that are lit up for the feast of St. Nicholas and also for Christmas. This year's program is once again full of events and celebrations. Credit: Veronica Giacometti/ACI Stampa....