Russian clergy and lay Catholics were "caught by surprise" by the pope's remarks in a video call Aug. 25 to a youth gathering in St. Petersburg praising the country's past empire and urging young people to "never give up this heritage."

Published in International

The head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church said Ukrainians were shocked when Pope Francis told Russian Catholic youths to be proud of their heritage and cited two historic Russian leaders that, the archbishop said, are "the worst example of imperialism and extreme Russian nationalism."

Published in International

Some World Youth Day pilgrims in Portugal were critical of Pope Francis for failing to condemn Russia’s brutal invasion of their homeland.

Published in Register Columnists

On the feast of Mary's assumption into heaven, Pope Francis entrusted to her people's prayers for peace, especially in Ukraine.

Published in Reflections

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed into law a bill moving the official observance of Christmas Day to Dec. 25 from Jan. 7, when Moscow and the Russian Orthodox Church mark the holiday.

Published in International

As the war in Ukraine approaches its 18th month with no end in sight, the humanitarian needs are greater than ever in the war-devastated country, says Anna Dombrovska, Ukraine program coordinator for the pontifical charity Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA).

Published in Canada

A Russian attack on a key Ukrainian port city has partially destroyed a historic Ukrainian Orthodox cathedral and UNESCO World Heritage site, prompting international outrage and pledges to rebuild.

Published in International

Cardinal Matteo Zuppi hand-delivered a letter from Pope Francis to U.S. President Joe Biden as part of his three-day papal mission to help promote humanitarian efforts and open avenues of peace in Ukraine.

Published in International

President Joe Biden met July 18 with Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi, Pope Francis' special envoy, to seek a peaceful resolution to the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Published in International

Pope Francis has sent Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, his special envoy, to Washington as part of his ongoing humanitarian efforts to help Ukraine.

Published in International

Just a little more than six months after Fr. Kevin Kelly SJ cleared the rooms and locked the doors for what he thought was the last time at a former Jesuit retreat house in Montreal, he and his team have now scrambled to prepare the Old Villa to once again welcome Ukrainians to Canada.

Published in Canada

A Catholic university community in western Ukraine is reeling from a July 6 missile attack on the city of Lviv, located less than 80 km from the Polish border.

Published in International

The Vatican is developing a plan to return to Ukraine children illegally deported to Russia but is not jockeying to mediate the war, Pope Francis' peace envoy said upon his return from his mission to Moscow.

Published in Vatican

As Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine hit the 493-day mark June 30, OSV News sat down with Archbishop Visvaldas Kulbokas, papal nuncio to Ukraine, to discuss his experiences of the war. Based in Kyiv, Visvaldas was visiting Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv for a conference and commencement exercises.

Published in International

The Catholic and Russian Orthodox churches should join efforts to promote peace before threats of a "major global armed conflict," the head of the Russian Orthodox Church told Pope Francis' envoy on a peace mission to Moscow.

Published in International