Europe News
French cathedral burns in suspected arson fire
A fire being investigated as arson at a historic cathedral in western France Saturday morning has been contained, according to... Read more
Who are the Martyrs of Compiegne?
On July 17 the Church commemorates 16 French religious sisters who died at the hands of the French Revolution, hastening... Read more
Hagia Sophia as mosque has global implications for religious freedom, experts say
As Christians and world leaders lament Turkey’s reconversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque, some experts warn that the act... Read more
Cardinal Schönborn laments exodus of Austrian Catholics
Cardinal Christoph Schönborn has said that he regrets that an increasing number of people are leaving the Church in Austria. Read more
Catholic community welcomes its first refugees to Rome after lockdown
A Catholic community welcomed Thursday the first refugees to arrive in Rome via a humanitarian corridor through the island of... Read more
German archdiocese plans to cut parishes from 1,000 to 40
A German archdiocese is pressing ahead with plans to dramatically reduce the number of its parishes despite the Vatican’s decision... Read more
Catholic bishops seek cancelation of poor countries’ debts at G20 finance summit
Catholic bishops have urged the U.K.’s finance minister to press for the cancelation of debts owed by the world’s poorest... Read more
Public Masses resume in Scotland with ‘irksome’ 50-person limit
Public Masses in Scotland resumed Wednesday with a maximum number of 50 people permitted to attend regardless of church size. Read more
Catholic hermit is ‘full of hope’ after 40-day fast for humanity
A lay missionary who was fasting for 40 days in a cave outside Palermo, Italy, says he is returning to... Read more
Polish president Duda visits Marian shrine after narrow election win
Andrzej Duda visited Poland’s national Marian shrine Monday following his narrow presidential election victory. Read more
‘The situation is truly dreadful’: Church choirs struggle to survive pandemic
Musicians in England are warning that the coronavirus pandemic is likely to inflict lasting damage on the country’s church choirs.... Read more
Lourdes offers digital pilgrimage as shrine struggles without pilgrims
As global coronavirus cases have surpassed 13 million, Lourdes is offering a digital pilgrimage this week to pray for the... Read more
Italy predicts decline in births following coronavirus
According to Italy’s national statistics institute, the country is likely to see a significant decline in the number of babies... Read more
Why some Catholic churches in England are struggling to resume public Masses
When the government permitted churches in England to resume public Masses July 4, Fr. Rick McGrath faced a difficult dilemma. Read more
St. Paul, a miracle, and the first Christian community on the Italian peninsula
The imprisonment of St. Paul in Rome, and his eventual martyrdom, are well-known. But days before the apostle set foot... Read more
French archbishop criticizes push to pass bioethics law amid pandemic
The archbishop of Paris has criticized the French parliament’s decision to debate a controversial bioethics bill which would increase access to... Read more
Hagia Sophia declared a mosque hours after court ruling
Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has signed a decree converting Hagia Sophia, the former cathedral of Holy Wisdom in Istanbul, into... Read more
Turkish court ruling paves way for Hagia Sophia to be turned into mosque
A Turkish court paved the way Friday for the former Christian basilica Hagia Sophia in Istanbul to be turned back... Read more
Catholic bishops urge renewed solidarity within EU for pandemic recovery
The European Catholic bishops’ commission urged the European Union this week to commit to deepening solidarity in its pandemic recovery... Read more
German bishop appoints committee to reevaluate beatification process of Schoenstatt founder
Bishop Stephan Ackermann of the German diocese of Tier announced the appointment of a commission of historians to review the... Read more
