Abbot and founder. Born at Garissus, Cappadocia (modern Turkey), in 423, he undertook a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and after meeting with the famed St. Simeon Stylites, he entered a monastery. Later, he was named the head of a church between Jerusalem and Bethlehem, but departed to live as a hermit near the Dead Sea. As he attracted a large number of followers, Theodosius established a monastery which was divided among the various nationalities of the monks (Greek, Armenian, etc.), each with ...

At the end of the Sunday Angelus, Pope Leo prays for peace in Iran, where protests continue, and Syria, where the army is battling Kurdish forces in the city of Aleppo. He also condemns the recent Russian strikes on Ukrainian civilians.

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Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. At Al-Maghtas, in Jordan, archaeological excavations have uncovered the remains of churches, chapels, hermits’ caves, and a baptistery––places of worship tied to Jesus’ Baptism. In 2015 this area was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Three Popes have made pilgrimages there: John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis.

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At the Sunday Angelus, Pope Leo encourages Christians to reflect on the gift of their baptism, and to “bear witness to it with joy and consistency.”

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Continuing a tradition begun in 1981 by Pope John Paul II, Pope Leo presided over the baptism of 20 children of Vatican employees in the Sistine Chapel.

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Pope Leo tells Rome’s young people not to be content with superficial relationships, but to seek the truth, goodness and communion that arise from encountering God and one's neighbour.

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Protests have swept Iran, with demonstrators taking to the streets throughout the country

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A delegation from the Trump administration arrives in Caracas as the United States and Venezuela examine the feasibility of restoring diplomatic relations.

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The full text of Pope Leo XIV’s speech at the conclusion of the January 7–8 consistory, published today, announces a new meeting of the cardinals in June and insists that victims and survivors of abuse “need to be accompanied with the closeness of authentic pastors.”

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William Berruyer, of the illustrious family of the ancient counts of Nevers, was educated by Peter the hermit, archdeacon of Soissons, his uncle by the mother's side. He learned from his infancy to despise the folly and emptiness of the riches and grandeur of the world, to abhor its pleasures, and to tremble at its dangers. His only delight was in exercises of piety and in his studies, in which he employed his whole time with indefatigable application. He was made canon, first of Soissons, and ...