High-ranking Vatican official to meet with Putin’s adviser in Russia
The Vatican’s secretary for relations with states and international organizations, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, will travel to Russia this week to hold meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin adviser Yuri Ushakov and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov as well as visit the country’s Catholic community.
The announcement was made by the Vatican Secretariat of State on its X account and was described by Vatican News as “a mission of dialogue and peace.”
According to the schedule, the first meeting will take place Aug. 25 with Lavrov. Subsequently, Gallagher will meet with Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, head of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate.
On Wednesday, Aug. 26, Gallagher will meet with Ushakov, the foreign policy adviser to Putin. Vatican News noted that “the schedule confirms the Holy See’s determination to continue along the path of dialogue, even at one of the most difficult moments in international relations at the global level.”
The Vatican representative will visit the Catholic community on Aug. 27. Gallagher will first meet with clergy and religious and then celebrate Mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Holy Virgin Mary in Moscow. Finally, he will meet with the bishops.
Gallagher is scheduled to return to the Holy See on Aug. 28. His previous visit to Russia took place in November 2021, when he met with Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Lavrov, and the then-head of the Moscow Patriarchateʼs Department for External Church Relations, Metropolitan Hilarion.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
Catholic conversions surge on college campuses, Hallow data shows
Registration for the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) has “more than doubled” on college campuses across the country as Catholic conversions continue to rise, according to recent data.
“On campuses of various sizes, all across the United States, Catholicism is on the rise,” Hallow reported in an Aug. 19 study that found that OCIA participation increased by 87.6% from the 2024-25 school year to 2025-26.
Schools with the largest number of OCIA participants include Texas A&M, Arizona State University, the University of Illinois, the University of Oklahoma, Kansas State University, the University of Wisconsin, the University of Nebraska, and Harvard University. Hallow said it obtained OCIA data from nearly 60 U.S. colleges and universities.
Texas A&M saw the largest number of OCIA participants, increasing to 204 candidates and catechumens in 2025-26 from 121 in 2024-25.
Hallow said campus conversion growth is outpacing diocesan trends, noting that university parishes and Newman Centers reported faster increases than dioceses, which saw a 38% rise in 2025‑26.
“College-age young people may be entering the Church at a faster rate than the general American population,” Hallow said. “And when they enter or return to the Church, they’re doing so with a fire that spreads across various ministries.”
Hallow’s report noted that growth is not limited to college towns alone but that “campus ministries in and around some of America’s largest cities are reporting similar increases.”
“USC [University of Southern California], located in the University Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, saw a 76% increase in OCIA participation this past school year,” the report said. “Further north, Stanford, located in the heart of Silicon Valley between San Jose and San Francisco, tripled its number of OCIA candidates and catechumens during the 2025-26 school year.”
New York University also reported an 88% increase in OCIA participation while its daily Mass attendance tripled, the Hallow report said.
The Hallow report said adult baptisms at Stanford University were unusually high this year. Dominican Father Bart Hutcherson said in the Hallow report that the parish typically sees about four adult baptisms annually, but he baptized 16 this Easter, nearly all of them Stanford students.
San Francisco archbishop urges new Nigerian priests to be ‘friends and fathers’ to their people
MAKURDI, Nigeria — Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of the Archdiocese of San Francisco urged 14 newly ordained priests in Nigeria to model their ministry on Christ’s sacrificial love and remain close to those entrusted to their pastoral care.
In his homily during the Aug. 22 priestly ordinations of 14 deacons for the Diocese of Makurdi, Cordileone said the commandment Jesus gave the apostles during his farewell discourse provides a fundamental framework for understanding the identity and mission of the Catholic priest.
“Be friends and fathers to your people,” he said during the Eucharistic celebration at the Sesugh Maria Pilgrimage Centre in Makurdi. “The people of God must know that the priest is with them, that he is for them, and that he acts only with their best interest in mind.”
The archbishop said priests are called to imitate Christ by giving themselves completely to those entrusted to them, including when their service requires difficult decisions or encounters resistance.
He encouraged the new priests to trust in God’s grace and allow themselves to become instruments through whom God transforms his people.
Cordileone explained that authentic priestly friendship goes beyond sharing interests or enjoying another person’s company and is rooted in Christ’s sacrificial love.
“The love of friendship is not one of slavish service, carried out reluctantly under the burden of oppression. Rather, it is a liberating service, one that brings joy to both,” he said.
The archbishop, who has led the San Francisco Archdiocese since his installation in October 2012, linked priestly fatherhood to the relationship between Christ and the Church, describing Christ as the bridegroom and the Church as his bride.
He also described the priest’s vocation as one of building bridges between people and Christ, saying the priest must become “a bridge and not an obstacle” to their encounter with Jesus Christ.
Addressing the challenging circumstances in which the 14 deacons were being ordained priests, particularly in Nigeria’s Benue state, Cordileone said: “You are being ordained into a world in which this is also a dangerous step.”
He said the world needs priests who are close enough to the people of God under their pastoral care to know them and guide them through life’s joys and sorrows toward a deeper life in Christ.
“There is a spiritual thirst in the world today,” he said, adding that the ministry of priesthood carries the danger of spiritual mediocrity when priests neglect their interior lives and noted that the Nigerian context presents an additional, more literal danger.
“There is the possibility that Our Lord may call you to lay down your life for your friends,” he said.
The archbishop referred to the suffering of Christians in Nigeria and the possibility that priests could be called to martyrdom in imitation of Christ.
Summarizing the identity and mission to which the newly ordained priests are called, he said: “Friend and father, shepherd and spouse, priest and victim.”
“This is who and what you are called to be as you take this awesome and fearful step,” the archbishop said.
He urged the newly ordained priests to embrace the daily sacrifices of priestly ministry and allow their lives to become a living expression of the Eucharistic sacrifice they celebrate.
Cordileone also expressed hope that their ministry would lead the faithful into communion with Christ, the source of “perfect peace, happiness, light, and love.”
This story was first published by ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, and has been adapted by EWTN News.
Pope Leo XIV tells soldiers: It is noble to defend the sovereignty of your homeland
Pope Leo XIV has emphasized the nobility of a soldier’s mission to defend one’s homeland and uphold the rule of law.
The pontiff held a private audience on Aug. 24 at the Vatican with a delegation from the Military Ordinariate of Portugal, which celebrated 60 years since its establishment in 1966. The delegation included members of the Army, Air Force, Navy, National Republican Guard, and Public Security Police.
Leo, in his remarks, remembered two Portuguese soldiers who were killed on Aug. 21 in a car accident while helping a truck driver with a flat tire.
‘Remain firm in defending your homeland’
The pope also urged the Christian soldiers present to remain steadfast in their mission to protect their citizens, citing the Roman centurion at Capernaum, who asked Jesus for a miracle for his servant.
“Every day, each of you has the noble mission of defending the sovereignty of your homeland and the rule of law, safeguarding the security of your fellow citizens and protecting them from injustice,” Leo said. “Be strong in the Lord like the centurion who, in Capernaum, approached Jesus. He knew well the values by which you shape your lives: obedience, discipline, self-denial, loyalty, camaraderie, dedication, responsibility, and courage.”
The pope also highlighted the need for military personnel to remain humble, as the Roman centurion was.
“If, on the one hand, this soldier was aware of his authority, on the other hand, he showed before the Son of God the strength of faith and the courage of humility,” Leo said.
Past addresses to the military
Leo has held other private audiences with military personnel, most recently meeting with the Military Ordinariate of Italy in March, during which he declared that soldiers must work to promote peace.
The pope and the Holy See have also criticized certain military actions as unjust, including those by the United States in its war with Iran. In his Palm Sunday homily in March, he sharply condemned war and the use of religion to justify violence, saying that God “does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war.”
Why the Church should promote religious tourism: An expert explains
Religious tourism draws hundreds of millions of people to various sites each year, generating billions of dollars, and the Americas have some of the most frequently visited shrines and basilicas.
However, religious tourism is far from reaching its full potential, according to Adrián Lomello, director for the Americas of the World Religious Tourism Network. The situation, he said, represents an opportunity that the Church should not let slip by.
In an interview with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, Lomello explained that while pilgrimages constitute a phenomenon that has existed for centuries, the question is what pilgrimage destinations effectively provide visitors and how such sites can be enhanced to better welcome pilgrims while maintaining the integrity of their religious identity.
A phenomenon that attracts millions
According to data from the World Religious Tourism Network, around 400 million people travel to faith-based destinations each year, accounting for approximately 20% of global tourism.
Pilgrimage tourism alone generates economic activity worth nearly $18 billion, according to the network.
Latin America in particular plays a significant role in this sector. The region receives around 80 million pilgrims annually, and the segment is seeing estimated yearly growth of between 6% and 8%, based on data from the World Religious Tourism Network.
A few examples illustrate the scale of the phenomenon.
The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico, for example, receives nearly 22 million visitors each year. In Brazil, the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida annually draws approximately 12 million pilgrims.
Another lesser-known example is La Tirana in northern Chile. During its religious celebrations, a town of about 1,500 inhabitants receives more than 150,000 pilgrims, coming mainly from Chile, Peru, and Bolivia.
“Regardless of how they are organized, those people will keep coming year after year because they are driven by a deep spiritual motivation,” Lomello explained.
Latin America specifically has over 3,000 registered shrines, hundreds of pilgrimage routes, major religious celebrations, and a heritage built up over centuries.
However, that heritage is not always accompanied by the infrastructure, information, services, or policies needed to make the most of it.
“Today, it’s an invisible sector. It goes unnoticed by churches, the public sector, and businesses alike,” Lomello stated.
The specialist noted that dioceses tend to focus on maintaining their churches and carrying out pastoral work. Governments, meanwhile, address other needs, while businesses seek out commercial opportunities.
The result is a constant flow of pilgrims, yet often no one takes charge of organizing everything that happens around them.
“We have extraordinary resources, but a resource on its own does not create development. It must be transformed into a tourism product,” he noted.
This does not mean turning a shrine into just another tourist attraction. It means, Lomello explained, “creating the conditions so that visitors can get around, find food, rest, explore the site, and understand its history.”
Having a shrine is not enough
Lomello emphasized that a church, a basilica, or a pilgrimage with huge numbers of participants is not enough to build a religious tourism destination. “You need to have products; you need to develop products,” he explained.
“The product consists of a narrative, a presence on social media, signage, adequate infrastructure, restrooms, good cuisine, the route itself, transportation, and communication,” he replied.
For example, a person might visit a shrine to attend a celebration and return home shortly after. However, if the surrounding area offers museums, tourist routes, local cuisine, heritage sites, cultural activities, and other attractions to explore, the experience can be extended.
“This is what we want cities to do, offer other things: good cuisine, engaging activities, museums, and events,” he stated.
The money doesnʼt just stay at the shrine
For Lomello, one of the advantages of religious tourism is precisely that the money can be distributed among various sectors of the community.
“The pilgrim arrives, spends money locally, buys handicrafts, stays overnight — perhaps an extra day — and visits a museum. The economic benefits spread throughout the entire community,” he explained.
This can benefit hotels, restaurants, merchants, artisans, transportation providers, and other workers. It can also help preserve the churches and religious sites themselves.
“Religious tourism is not going to take away the Churchʼs leading role, it is going to give it resources,” he said.
However, Lomello emphasized that religious tourism cannot be reduced to an economic issue, since “the spiritual benefit is fundamental.”
Religious tourism is not going to take away the Church’s leading role, it is going to give it resources.”
Adrián LomelloWorld Religious Tourism Network
A pilgrim who arrives at a shrine may be looking for more than just getting to know a place. He may want to pray, go to confession, attend a Mass, or simply reconnect with his faith.
“The impact of a good spiritual narrative is conversion. It’s when someone, through religious tourism, arrives and is deeply moved by the story [behind the place] and the religious images, and asks for confession. That’s conversion,” he noted.
The Camino de Santiago model
One of the experiences that can serve as a model is the Camino de Santiago in Spain.
According to data shared by the network, the route welcomes around 530,000 pilgrims annually and generates an estimated annual economic impact of over $580 million, following decades of planning.
This comparison is of particular interest to Latin America, where there are numerous religious routes and destinations that attract large numbers of people but still lack planning.
“The difference lies not only in its heritage. It lies in policy decisions. Destinations that ignore their spiritual heritage are not making a cultural mistake; they are making a strategic economic development mistake,” Lomello asserted.
‘Lift up your gaze’
Lomello said he believes the Church has an important role to play in this process, but it cannot do it alone. Coordination is needed between dioceses, parishes, authorities, businessmen, and local communities.
Data is also needed. The region needs to know how many pilgrims it receives, where they come from, how long they stay, what services they use, and what their needs are.
The World Religious Tourism Network proposes, among other measures, doing market analysis, developing specific public policies, putting the destinations online, training those who work with pilgrims, and creating avenues for exchanging information among the various stakeholders.
For Lomello, the first step is to change the way the phenomenon is viewed.
“As the pope said in Spain: ‘Lift up your gaze.’ Lift up your gaze. Look at the religious tourism sector: an opportunity for development,” he urged.
And that opportunity, he emphasized, should not be viewed as competing with the Churchʼs mission.
“This is a time to lift up our gaze, to say: ‘Ladies and gentlemen, there is an opportunity here.’ Let us all work together, because this is for the benefit of all,” he affirmed.
Top 10 destinations in Latin America
According to data compiled by the World Religious Tourism Network, these are the top 10 religious destinations and celebrations in Latin America, Central America, and the Caribbean, ranked by estimated annual visitor numbers:
1. Mexico — Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe: 20 million
2. Brazil — Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida: 12 million
3. Argentina — Shrine of Our Lady of Luján: 10 million
4. Peru — Shrine of the Lord of Miracles: 5 million
5. Colombia — Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary of Chiquinquirá: 4 million
6. Guatemala — Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary: 3.5 million
7. Ecuador — Shrine of Our Lady of El Quinche: 2.5 million
8. Venezuela — Basilica of Our Lady of Coromoto: 2 million
9. Chile — Shrine of the Virgin of Lo Vásquez: 1.5 million
10. Dominican Republic — Basilica of Our Lady of Altagracia: 1.5 million
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
Pope Leo XIV remembers victims of Ebola and mining disaster in Central Africa
During his Aug. 23 Angelus address at the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV remembered the victims of an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and of a deadly mining landslide in the Central African Republic.
“In my prayers, I often remember the Democratic Republic of the Congo, especially in light of the spread of the Ebola epidemic, which is sadly claiming many lives. I encourage on the part of the international community a response that also involves local communities in efforts of prevention, so that many human lives may be saved,” Leo said.
The recent Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo was first declared in May, claiming the lives of close to 2,500 people, according to an Aug. 21 BBC report. The country is currently distributing a vaccine against the virus, and public health officials have declared it the deadliest outbreak in the country’s history.
On Aug. 18, a landslide at a gold mine near Zamboyé in western Central African Republic buried and killed more than 100 workers, according to an Aug. 19 BBC report. Rescue efforts are ongoing for potential survivors, and Pope Leo prayed for all those who lost their lives in the disaster.
“I am also close to the people of the Central African Republic, who are mourning the victims of the collapse at a mine in Zamboyé. May the Lord receive those who have lost their lives and sustain efforts to ensure safety and respect for the law at mining sites,” the pope said.
‘Who is Jesus for me?’
During his Angelus, Leo also preached on the Gospel of the day, in which Jesus asks his disciples about his identity and Peter’s confesses his faith in Jesus as the Son of God.
The pope noted that the question of Jesus’ identity is decisive for one’s everyday experience of discipleship.
“The question that is put to us each day — Who is Jesus for me, and what does his presence mean in my life? — emerges especially in prayer and when we meditate on the Gospel,” Leo explained.
“In our daily lives, in short, we can discover whether the Lord Jesus is for us merely a great figure of history … or the Christ of God, the One sent to bring us into the love of the Father and to transform our lives and the world in which we live,” the pope added.
The pope then encouraged the faithful not to be content with their own convictions about Christ but to “remain open to an authentic relationship with Christ.”
“Yet Jesus calls us to give a personal response, to know him more closely and to allow ourselves to be shaped by friendship with him through an ever new encounter. This may also ask us to follow unfamiliar paths and to make choices different from those we had imagined.”
‘An unborn child is a child’: Lawyer questions lack of empathy regarding pregnancy loss
Ecuadorian lawyer Pablo Proaño questioned the lack of empathy for families who lose a child during pregnancy and called for protocols to support them.
His remarks followed the death due to a pregnancy complication of Stefano, the son of Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa and his wife, Lavinia Valbonesi.
On Aug. 15, Interior Minister Nataly Morillo announced the news and offered her condolences to the presidential family.
Many comments appeared on social media questioning the characterization of the loss as the death of a “child” rather than an embryo or fetus, or arguing that the matter should have remained private.
For Proaño, a lawyer with the firm Dignidad y Derecho (Dignity and Law), these reactions reveal “a lack of understanding regarding pregnancy loss and a lack of empathy that goes beyond the political debate over the way the president is running the country.”
“Many people approached this topic by first claiming it’s a ‘fake news’ story — arguing that it’s not a child, but rather an embryo or a fetus — and secondly, by insisting that it’s a matter that should remain private. And this reveals, as I said, a profound lack of empathy,” he noted in an interview with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News.
‘There’s already an expectation’ of welcoming the child
The lawyer explained that regardless of gestational age, “parents who already know, long for, and look forward to welcoming this baby are already forming an expectation, both on the psychological and social level.”
He said there can be “severe psychological impact following the loss” but also “long-term effects when the time comes to decide whether or not to try for another child.”
The lawyer also noted that this suffering can arise in everyday situations, particularly when the mother encounters other women with babies.
Proaño said he believes the scale of the phenomenon makes it important for society to learn how to support those going through this type of grief. “According to the World Health Organization, 1 in 4 women has experienced pregnancy loss at some point in her life,” he stated.
The lawyer noted that while the circumstances of a miscarriage or an abortion may differ, both situations can involve suffering and grief.
“Induced abortion often entails a greater sense of guilt,” he said.
Regarding miscarriage, he said there is also “a great deal of suffering regarding why the pregnancy could not be carried to term.”
“Many questions remain unanswered, and this creates a great deal of anxiety and can even lead to cases of severe depression in women and families going through this grief,” he continued.
The need for protocols regarding pregnancy loss
Proaño said he believes healthcare systems should have protocols in place to care for women who lose their babies during pregnancy.
“The first and most important aspect is institutional support from a medical standpoint. In many Latin American countries, there are protocols known as ‘butterfly protocols’ for the care of women experiencing pregnancy loss,” he explained.
In this practice, the silhouette of a butterfly is placed on the headboard of the patient’s bed, alerting the hospital staff to be particularly sensitive to her emotional state. The butterfly symbolizes a brief life, fragility, and transformation.
Ecuador does not currently have an official protocol from the Ministry of Health. “There are foundations promoting these types of protocols, and individual hospitals may implement them, but it largely depends on whether the hospital authorities choose to adopt them,” Proaño stated.
These protocols, he explained, aim to prevent situations that could increase the suffering of a woman who has just lost her child.
“What do these ‘butterfly protocols’ mean? It means healthcare staff are sensitized that they don’t say things like, ‘Oh, right. Well, it would have been better if you’d done this or that, and then you wouldn’t have lost the baby,’” he explained.
He also emphasized the need to avoid placing a woman who has just suffered a loss “in the maternity ward, where you can hear and see other women with their babies.”
Proaño even proposes identifying these patients: “They should be given a separate room and identified by a symbol or a sign on the door, so that when a nurse or doctor walks by, no one makes the mistake of asking, ‘And where is your baby? Why haven’t they brought your baby to you?’” he said.
In addition, the woman should receive psychological care, he noted.
Employers should also have to make allowances
According to Proaño, families also need “social recognition that extends to the workplace.”
“In Ecuador, these cases often only qualify for three days of leave for a family emergency, and three days is not enough,” he maintained.
“Many of these people go through episodes of severe depression, return to work, and are then fired because the enhanced job protection afforded to pregnant women because they are carrying a child does not apply. But if the baby dies, they don’t benefit from this leave,” he added.
Parents' right to say goodbye to their child
Another aspect the lawyer deems necessary to review is what happens to the babyʼs remains following a pregnancy loss.
Measures should be in place “to ensure the baby can be given a proper burial," he stated.
Proaño explained that, according to Ecuadorian regulations, there is a distinction regarding the release of remains based on whether the pregnancy has reached 22 weeks of gestation.
“In Ecuador, up to the 22nd week of pregnancy, hospitals are not required to hand over the child — the body or remains of the fetus — and may simply dispose of it, donate it for research, or even sell it to institutions,” he stated.
He said this situation can deprive parents of a step that is important for the grieving process.
“This baby is the child of a family that deserves and needs, for the sake of their grieving process, to bury him and have a place to go to mourn his death,” he noted.
In his view, families should receive clear information about their rights and be able to decide what happens to their childʼs remains.
“Parents should be provided with informed consent that explains this possibility and their rights, so they can make a decision. And if they ultimately decide not to take the fetus, they should also be able to decide on its final disposition,” he explained.
‘An unborn child is a child’
Beyond the legal and medical aspects, Proaño said he believes there is a cultural challenge: “A great deal of work to raise awareness and foster understanding” needs to be done, he noted.
“Because an unborn child is a child; it’s not merely a fetus,” he emphasized.
The lawyer lamented that many families do not even receive condolences after losing a child during pregnancy. He also questioned certain responses that may seem well-intentioned but ultimately minimize the pain.
For example, he said, “there are many doctors who say, ‘You can get pregnant again; there’s no problem.’ As if that loss could simply be erased from a mother’s heart.”
An issue that also involves the state
Proaño maintained that the response should include public policies focused on prevention, support, and family protection.
“At the state level, there are these three points: promoting the implementation of support protocols; ensuring proper informed consent when the disposition of the fetuses is to be decided; and enacting workplace reforms to grant parents more time to grieve the loss of their child in accordance with the law,” he explained.
“And also, having awareness-raising campaigns. Furthermore — taking it a step further — it would be very important for the state to take up this issue as a public policy necessity,” he added.
Proaño said he also believes that proper preventive care during pregnancy can help reduce some pregnancy losses. He cited, among other factors, medical monitoring during pregnancy and the detection of potential vitamin or hormonal deficiencies.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
How the skull of St. Rose of Lima is preserved
The Catholic Church celebrates the feast day of St. Rose of Lima (1586–1617) on Aug. 23, calling attention to the most significant first-class relic of the beloved saint: her skull, which is preserved in the Basilica of the Most Holy Rosary at St. Dominic Convent in the Peruvian capital of Lima.
Friar Luis Enrique Ramírez, a Dominican priest and rector of the basilica located in Lima’s historic center, explained to ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, how the relic is preserved and where it is kept within this historic church entrusted to the Order of Preachers.
“St. Rose’s skull has been here in the basilica since the late 1800s, around the time this neoclassical altarpiece was created,” the priest explained, standing before the reliquary housing the first-class relic. The reliquary, which also holds significant relics of St. Martin de Porres and St. John Macías, “consists of two parts: One section holds the skull itself, which wears a crown of roses that was originally gold but is now silver,” the priest noted, adding that the original crown was stolen.
The other part is a small box containing some of her bones, he said.
There is also a tablecloth she embroidered, which serves as an example “of the work she used to do.”
The Dominican friar also noted that over time, her bones “have been divided into minuscule fragments, and relics of St. Rose of Lima are found in a great number of places all over the world.”
St. Rose’s house, located very close to St. Dominic Convent, preserves 10 objects belonging to the first saint of the Americas, such as her betrothal ring to the Lord, soil from her grave, and a handwritten letter.
Why are there relics of saints like St. Rose of Lima?
Ramírez explained that the relics of saints represent “a way for the faithful to share in the holiness of the person they venerate. Being close to the saint is a very ancient tradition in the Church.”
By being near saints’ relics, the faithful can “share in their holiness; it’s a way to find encouragement. It’s also a way to help you, in some sense, to strive to live your life in a state of grace.”
The Dominican priest noted that given the current trade in relics and the risk of counterfeits, the Holy See has established clearer and stricter regulations for handling requests for a saintʼs relics, particularly to verify their authenticity. This process requires authorization from a bishop and, in the case of St. Rose, from the Dominicans.
Plaque commemorating the mystical betrothal of St. Rose of Lima
Inside the basilica, on the left side of the nave, there is a plaque on the floor marking the exact spot where St. Rose of Lima’s mystical betrothal took place in 1617 — the moment she consecrated herself entirely to the Lord after hearing the words “Rose, be my spouse.”
According to Ramírez, the saint had come to the site of the former Chapel of Our Lady of the Rosary to bid farewell, as she was preparing to become a Poor Clare nun; her friends had raised funds to enable her to enter the convent with the required dowry, as was the custom at the time.
“She came to bid farewell to Our Lady of the Rosary represented by the image that at that time was in her chapel, right where the plaque is now, and that is where the phenomenon occurred in which she became so heavy she could not be lifted, and where the mystical betrothal to the Infant Jesus also took place,” the Dominican friar explained.
“She realized that God did not want her to be a nun but rather a laywoman, so she decided to join the Dominican Third Order as a laywoman, here at St. Dominic Convent in Lima,” he added.
The ‘new’ chapel of St. Rose of Lima and another first-class relic
During a tour of the St. Dominic Convent Museum, Ramírez showed EWTN News a “new” chapel, erected about 10 years ago in a space that had previously been the room of another Dominican friar.
“On the main altar stands the image of St. Rose of Lima, the patron saint of Peru, America, and the Philippines, which is carried on a litter during the Aug. 29–30 processions,” the priest explained.
Beneath the image “lies a relic: the shoulder blade of St. Rose of Lima. And everything in the chapel is dedicated to her. We have paintings, both old and new, including of St. Catherine of Siena, to whom St. Rose was devoted, as well as images of St. Rose’s ‘Doctorcito’ [‘Little Doctor,’ her affectionate name for the Child Jesus], the image to which she held great devotion.” There is also Our Lady of the Rosary of the Creoles’ Confraternity and “the most important sculpture: the marble work by Melchiorre Cafà, which was present at St. Rose’s beatification ceremony at Santa Sabina Basilica” in Rome in 1668.
What lessons can Catholics today learn from St. Rose of Lima?
“Let’s remember that St. Rose of Lima was a laywoman; that is, she was not a religious sister but someone who lived in her own home,” the Dominican priest noted.
Ramírez recalled how the saint worked at various tasks such as embroidery and helping in other households to contribute to the support of her family. At the same time, he continued, “St. Rose was fully aware of God’s presence in her life and engaged in profound mystical prayer, imitating St. Catherine of Siena in what is known as the inner cell.”
This, he said, means that “she did not have a physical cell to retreat to, as in a monastery, but she did have an inner cell where she could take refuge, and indeed she had many mystical experiences in that regard.”
Rose of St. Mary, as she is also known, lived a life “deeply committed to the suffering and the needy in her society, to the poor who needed her help not just with her counsel but also with medical care, comforting, and assistance in general.”
In this way, Ramírez emphasized, St. Rose of Lima is “a very contemporary example” for any Catholic today. Like St. Rose, he said, “you can work to earn a living, you can commit yourself to mystical prayer, and you can commit yourself to social work in the service of the needy,” living a “committed life within our Church and, furthermore, in the spirit of our Dominican charism.”
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
American priest walks Lebanon’s St. Charbel Trail, encourages more pilgrims to follow
American priest Father Michael Sliney, LC, recently took part in a pilgrimage along the St. Charbel Trail in Lebanon and said he was deeply marked by the experience, describing the discovery as a “hidden gem.” Now back in the United States, he said he hopes to promote the trail among American Catholics, especially Lebanese Americans, and encourage them to experience it for themselves.
St. Charbel Trail, known in the region as Darb Mar Charbel, is a 80.8-mile pilgrimage and hiking trail that crosses some of Lebanon’s most striking natural and spiritual landscapes, linking monasteries, villages, and historic sites associated with St. Charbel and the Maronite tradition.
The trail is currently divided into two main routes. The northern route stretches roughly 50 miles, beginning at the Monastery of St. Anthony of Qozhaya in the Qadisha Valley and continuing through sites including St. Charbel’s birthplace and the Monastery of St. Maroun in Annaya, where Pope Leo XIV prayed during his visit to Lebanon in 2025.
The southern route covers approximately 31 miles, beginning at the Maronite Patriarchal See in Bkerke and passing through Harissa, home to the Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon, one of the country’s most important Marian pilgrimage sites, and ending at St. Charbel’s tomb in Annaya.
A landscape shaped by centuries of faith
Sliney, who has spent more than 27 years in priestly ministry serving young people and families in Washington, D.C., and New York City, said the trail “creates a peaceful, silent environment where you can actually hear God.”
That sense was especially strong, he said, in the Qadisha Valley, also known as the Valley of the Saints, a historic center of Maronite monastic life. “I felt this is where the heart of God is beating,” he said. “It’s beating in the Valley of the Saints. It’s beating in these monasteries.”
For Sliney, walking through the valley felt “almost like going back to a time capsule.” He said he was struck by the continuity of monastic life there, where Christians have prayed for centuries in monasteries and caves carved into the mountains.
At the Cave of St. Anthony, which dates back to the fourth century, that history became particularly tangible. “For 1,700 years people have been coming here to pray,” he said. “It’s hard to imagine… really since the time of Christ almost, people have been praying in that particular cave.”
The people along the trail
More than the monasteries, caves, and churches, what affected Sliney most during the pilgrimage, he said, were the people he encountered, especially the monks and nuns.
He described the nuns he met as “dynamic,” “happy,” and “joyful.” The monks left a similar impression. “I was very, very impressed by the fervor, the humility, the joy, and the dedication of these monks,” he said. “I really believe the Valley of the Saints is such a holy place because of these monks and these nuns.”
Sliney said he was also deeply marked by the resilience, hospitality, and spirit of service he encountered among Lebanese people more broadly.
He recalled being welcomed to celebrate Mass in the house of St. Charbel and being invited to wear Maronite vestments. He was also moved by small, personal gestures from people he had only just met.
At one monastery, a monk gave him a bag of medals of the saints that he had collected since childhood, asking him to distribute them among the pilgrims. The monk then offered him a rosary he had made for himself.
Family life also stood out to him. He recalled entering restaurants and seeing families of 15 or 20 people gathered around the same table.
A path back to faith and heritage
Sliney wants more people to experience the trail. He said he believes American Catholics would benefit from making the pilgrimage but says Lebanese Americans in particular should be among the first to rediscover it.
“I think they need to rediscover the beauty of their faith and the beauty of their heritage,” he said. “I think it would spark a faith in them that needs to be rekindled.”
While acknowledging the opportunities American life has offered many Lebanese families, Sliney said he worries that they can also become absorbed by “materialism” and “noise.”
“I think Lebanon — the peace, the serenity, the simplicity of this country and of the people — is something not just they need, but I think we need as Americans,” he said. “Our culture could use the silence so we can hear the whisper of God.”
For Lebanese living abroad, he sees the trail as more than a pilgrimage route. He believes it could become a way of reconnecting them with a faith and heritage that may have weakened across generations. “I think it would spark a faith in them that needs to be rekindled,” he said.
“I really believe St. Charbel is behind this trail. Our world today needs to learn from the simplicity and the humility and the joy of the monks and of the nuns and of the people of Lebanon. And I think the trail will allow them to experience that.”
Is Lebanon safe for pilgrims?
Sliney also pushed back against perceptions of Lebanon as uniformly unsafe. He said he felt safer in Lebanon than in Washington, D.C., while acknowledging the ongoing war in the south, which he did not visit.
“Lebanon being a very unsafe [place] to go to is a false narrative. And I feel it does an injustice to the country,” he noted.
He also described the hiking as “pretty intense,” with steep climbs and descents — despite being a marathon runner himself.
As parts of the trail are still being developed and funds are being raised, he said he plans to return to Lebanon to complete it once more sections are open.
‘You are home’: Pope Leo XIV meets with sick, disabled residents at Rimini
Pope Leo XIV met with sick and disabled residents of the city of Rimini, Italy, on Aug. 22, urging them to “follow the Lord by taking an active part in the life of the Church.”
The meeting came at the end of a whirlwind day of travel for the pope, who visited the tiny landlocked country of San Marino before making an appearance at the 47th Meeting for Friendship Among the Peoples in Rimini.
In his meeting with those suffering from illness and disabilities, which took place at Rimini Cathedral, the pope said the ancient church signified to the sick and poor: “You are home.”
Jesus, the Holy Father said, worked to “heal [sick people] and restore to them a life worthy of their dignity.”
He urged the assembly to take part in Church life “in the parish, in associations, and in places of welcome and service.”
The pope subsequently said Mass at the Port of Rimini, where in his homily he told the faithful that “everything we are and have is a gift from God.”
He said every baptized Christian is oriented toward “embracing, gathering, welcoming, liberating, forgiving, [and] emancipating anyone who is a prisoner of sin and its consequence.”
Referring to St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans, the pope said: “God is simple, because he is pure charity, and calls us also to love with a heart similar to his, conforming our ways to his ways and our thoughts to his thoughts.”