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Monsignor Anthony J. Figueiredo and Bishop Mylo Vergara of Pasig, Philippines, bless the facility of the 2022 "Economy of Fraternity" prize recipient, the Ecocharcoal Briquettes Project in the Diocese of Pasig, on Dec. 3, 2025. | Courtesy of Monsignor Anthony J. FigueiredoJan 16, 2026 / 09:26 am (CNA).The Diocese of Assisi in Italy will award 50,000 euros ($58,000) to the winner of the 2026 edition of the "Francis of Assisi and Carlo Acutis for an Economy of Fraternity" award.Inspired by Pope Francis' 2015 encyclical letter Laudato Si', the former archbishop of Assisi, Domenico Sorrentino, instituted the award in 2020 on the day of St. Carlo Acutis' Oct. 10 beatification.In addition to the 50,000-euro ($58,000) prize money, award winners also receive an icon with the images of Sts. Francis and Carlo Acutis and are symbolically vested with the "cloak of Francis" by the bishop of Assisi during a ceremony to be held in May at the Sanctuary of the Renunciation.Monsignor Anthony J. ...

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Member of Parliament David Smith, the U.K. special envoy for freedom of religion or belief, speaks at the parliamentary launch of the World Watch List on Jan. 14, 2026. | Credit: Open DoorsJan 16, 2026 / 10:11 am (CNA).More Christians were killed in Nigeria last year than anywhere else in the world combined, a new report has found, placing the country at the center of a growing global persecution crisis.Of the 4,849 Christians killed for their faith worldwide, 3,490 were in Nigeria, according to Open Doors' World Watch List 2026.Open Doors is a Netherlands-based international Christian mission that tracks global persecution and supports persecuted Christians worldwide. The organization's annual World Watch List ranks 50 countries by the severity of persecution faced by active Christians.The new report also shows a global increase of 8 million Christians facing high levels of persecution and discrimination between October 2024 and September 2025, bringing the total to 388 mi...

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Cardinal Aguiar and his auxiliary bishop, Francisco Javier Acero Pérez, OAR, met with Pope Leo on Jan. 14, 2026. | Credit: Vatican MediaJan 16, 2026 / 06:00 am (CNA).The primatial archbishop of Mexico, Cardinal Carlos Aguiar Retes, has invited Pope Leo XIV to visit the country. The cardinal extended the invitation during their Jan. 14 meeting at the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican, shortly before the Wednesday general audience.According to a statement released later by the Archdiocese of Mexico, during the audience Aguiar renewed the invitation he had first extended to the pope a few days after the conclave for him to travel to the country."In response, the Holy Father expressed his gratitude and his desire and interest in visiting our country soon to entrust his pontificate to Our Lady of Guadalupe," the press release indicated.In addition, Aguiar shared with Pope Leo XIV the progress and development of the synodal process underway in the Mexican diocese.In this context, the p...