The Holy See “will not participate in the Board of Peace because of its particular nature, which is evidently not that of other States,” stated Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State, on the sidelines of the bilateral meeting in Rome with the Italian Government at Palazzo Borromeo, seat of the Embassy of Italy to the Holy See, on the occasion of the anniversary of the signing of the Lateran Pacts.

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The President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Ethiopia issues a pastoral message urging Catholics and people of good will to embrace a profound interior conversion through prayer, fasting, and works of charity during the 2026 Lenten season.

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VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Catholics going to Mass on Ash Wednesday will leave church marked, but whether the ashes appear as a bold cross on the forehead or sprinkled atop the head depends largely on where in the world they worship.

While Catholics in the United States typically receive a visible cross of ashes traced on their foreheads, that is not the universal practice across the Catholic Church. In many parts of the world -- particularly in Italy -- ashes are instead sprinkled lightly on the top of the head.

Benedictine Father Eusebius Martis, a professor at the Pontifical Athenaeum of St. Anselm in Rome, told Catholic News Service Feb. 11 both forms are approved by the Church and that there is no text explicitly outlining how ashes are to be received beyond, "the imposition of ashes." 

Father Martis, a monk from the suburbs of Chicago who has lived in Rome for two years, personally prefers the sprinkling of ashes on top of the head. He said he feels it is more in line with the typical Gospel reading from Matthew, saying that the three pillars of Lent: prayer, fasting and almsgiving should be practiced quietly and sincerely, not for public recognition.

"Because it's invisible, the person that's receiving it is under this cloud, literally, under this cloud of ashes, and so it's really a gesture of humility," he told CNS. 

Still, Father Martis acknowledged that the more visible U.S. custom can carry spiritual value. The cross traced on the forehead echoes the sign first made at baptism and repeated throughout a Catholic’s sacramental life, he said.

"The cross on the forehead is a sign of belonging, right?" he said.

The ashes, made by burning the palm fronds from the previous year’s Palm Sunday, are given alongside the following words, "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return," or "Repent, and believe in the Gospel." The gesture marks the beginning of the Lenten season of prayer, fasting and almsgiving in preparation for Easter.

Traditions on Ash Wednesday have evolved over centuries, and some have theories about how these practices came to be. Benedictine Father Kurt Belsole, coordinator of liturgy at the Pontifical North American College in Rome, said that by the 11th century there was already a distinction in how ashes were received.

"It was universally accepted that men received ashes on their heads and women received them on their foreheads," Father Belsole said in an email. "I suspect that it was so that the ashes would actually touch the body or skin, since men did not wear hats in church, but women wore veils or head coverings."

Today in Italy, both men and women typically receive ashes sprinkled on the crown of the head. Following Italian custom, popes have historically celebrated Ash Wednesday by sprinkling ashes atop heads. 

Even the observance of Ash Wednesday itself is not identical everywhere. In parts of the Archdiocese of Milan, churches that follow the Ambrosian rite -- the liturgical tradition particular to Milan -- do not celebrate Ash Wednesday. Instead, Lent begins the following Sunday, reflecting a local tradition that began in the fourth century. 

Despite these regional traditions and differences in receiving ashes, Father Martis said the spiritual focus of the Lenten season does not change.

"It's an expression of humility, which is what I think the faithful should be thinking about when they receive it," he said. 

Pope Leo XIV advised Catholics to use the 40 days of Lent as a time for listening, fasting and community, leading to a greater attentiveness to God. 

"Lent is a time in which the Church, guided by a sense of maternal care, invites us to place the mystery of God back in the center of our lives, in order to find renewal in our faith and keep our hearts from being consumed by the anxieties and distractions of daily life," he said Feb. 13 in his written message for Lent.

Father Martis agreed, saying that Lent is about prayer and almsgiving, but he also cautioned against reducing the season to temporary self-improvement or trendy abstinence.

"You tell me how giving up chocolate for Lent is going to make you a better person, or how going through dry January makes you a better person if you’re just going to get drunk on February 1st," he said. "That’s not the Church’s understanding of sacrifice."

Instead, he said, Lenten sacrifices are meant to draw believers into a deeper relationship with God.

"The sacrifices we make are supposed to be about giving our hearts entirely to God," Father Martis said. "God wants from us the only thing he cannot take, and that’s our love. So in the end, the best thing that we can do is just pour out our heart to God."

Correction: A previous version of this story misstated the source of a quote by Pope Leo XIV. It is from his written Lenten message published Feb. 13, not his Angelus address Feb. 15. This article was updated Feb. 18.

WASHINGTON—The Committee for Religious Liberty of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has issued its annual report on the state of religious freedom in the United States. The report summarizes developments on national questions and federal policies affecting religious liberty in the U.S., including the role of religion in American public life, and the challenges and opportunities of the present moment.  

The report identified six areas of critical concern for religious liberty in 2026: 

• Political and anti-religious violence
• Unjust terms and conditions on federal grants, and unreliability of government
• Access to sacraments for ICE detainees and immigration enforcement at houses of worship
• School choice and the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit
• Repeal of provisions that prevent religious organizations from participating in government programs
• Further repudiation of gender ideology 

“All of these developments in religious liberty are taking place as Americans prepare to celebrate two hundred fifty years as in independent nation,” said Archbishop Alexander K. Sample, chairman of the Committee for Religious Liberty in his introduction of the report. “It is a fitting time to reflect on the ideals expressed in the Declaration of Independence, and how those ideals have shaped the unique culture that has grown over the past two-and-a-half centuries.”  

In highlighting the critical areas of concern, the report provides the Catholic faithful an opportunity to reflect on how the Church has enriched American life, he added, and cited the bishops’ consecration of the nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in June. “When we consecrate our nation to the Sacred Heart and enthrone the Sacred Heart in our homes, we recognize the kingship of Christ and offer our own lives in service to God and our neighbors,” said Archbishop Sample.  

The report is available at: www.usccb.org/religious-liberty/2026-annual-report. 

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The two-day workshop on “Healthcare for all: Sustainability and equity," organized by the Pontifical Academy for Life, is presented at the Holy See Press Office, with experts noting that where there is a will, there can be a way to make healthcare possible for all.

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Faith and culture come together as Catholic communities across Asia mark the Lunar New Year through family gatherings, prayer, and acts of charity.

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Fr. Giulio Cesareo, director of the Communications Office of the Sacred Convent of Assisi, speaks to Vatican News about the significance of exposing the relics of St. Francis of Assisi and the message he still bears for today’s world.

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OSTIA LIDO, Italy (CNS) -- An authentic Christian community knows how to sincerely and joyfully welcome everyone: Catholics, non-Catholics and people of no faith at all, Pope Leo XIV said.

"A true parish" is where "we all learn to say 'Welcome,' not only with words, but with a spirit of hospitality, opening the door and welcoming everyone," he said, speaking to members of the community during his first visit to a parish in his Diocese of Rome.

The pope also celebrated Mass during which he encouraged the faithful to cultivate humble and peaceful hearts that are open to Christ, because "the evil we see in the world has its roots precisely there, where the heart becomes cold, hard and lacking in mercy." 

The pope's early evening visit Feb. 15 was to the Roman parish of Santa Maria Regina Pacis in Ostia Lido -- a seaside community 16 miles southwest of Rome.

Although it was his first visit to Ostia as pope, he had been to the area many times as an Augustinian friar because of the port town's close connection to the story of St. Augustine and, especially, his mother, St. Monica, who died there in 387; her remains were moved to Rome in the 15th century.

Pope Leo emphasized the need to convert one's heart for there to be peace in the world, in his homily during Mass inside the large 20th-century church of Santa Maria Regina Pacis.

The path to human fulfillment is fidelity to God based on respect and care for others, he said. But that has to be "cultivated first and foremost in the heart, even before in gestures and words." 

The heart is home to noble feelings and "painful profanations: closed-mindedness, envy, jealousy," he said. "Those who think badly of their brother, harboring evil feelings toward him, are as if they were already killing him in their hearts."

He recalled some of the difficulties facing residents in Ostia, including violence, substance abuse and criminal organizations.

He encouraged the parish community to continue its courageous efforts with other organizations "to spread the good seed of the Gospel in your streets and in your homes."

"Do not resign yourselves to the culture of abuse and injustice. On the contrary, spread respect and harmony, beginning by disarming language and then investing energy and resources in education, especially for children and young people," he said.

"Unfortunately, even today, many clouds still darken the world, with the spread of ideas contrary to the Gospel, which exalt the supremacy of the strongest, encourage arrogance, and fuel the seduction of victory at all costs, deaf to the cries of those who suffer and those who are defenseless," the pope said. 

"Let us oppose this tendency with the disarming power of meekness, continuing to ask for peace, and to welcome and cultivate its gift with tenacity and humility," he said. 

Pope Leo began the visit by greeting young people and families gathered behind the church. A clutch of gold mylar balloons -- depicting a smiling lion and the numbers "one" and "four" -- bopped and twisted in the strong breeze coming in off the Mediterranean Sea.

"You are the hope! And you must recognize that in your hearts, in your lives, in your youth, there is hope for today and tomorrow. Hope already begins here, because Jesus walks with us," he told the small enthusiastic crowd outside.

Inside a nearby gym, home of the local "Starfish" basketball team, the pope thanked the community for their warm welcome. "This is one of the many signs of an authentic Christian community, of a true parish," he said, emphasizing the need to receive "anyone who comes: Catholic, non-Catholic, believer, non-believer." 

Speaking to the young people, the elderly, people with disabilities, Caritas volunteers and the people they serve, the pope told those gathered that "Everyone is part of this parish family, and everyone has something to say, something to give, something to share."

"May you have the courage to say 'yes' to the Lord!" he said. "Each person's life has great value: whether I am young, whether I am old, whether I have difficulties or not, human life is a gift from God."

Speaking to members of the parish's pastoral council, the pope thanked them for generously offering their time and talent, helping the local clergy, church and faithful. However, "I also encourage you to go out and seek others."

"Do not remain inside the church and say, 'It's OK, those who come are enough.' It is never enough. Invite, welcome, accompany," Pope Leo said.
 

WASHINGTON - Pope Leo XIV has accepted the resignation of the Most Reverend Patrick J.  Zurek, 77, from the Office of Bishop of Amarillo. At the same time, he has appointed His Eminence Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo, archbishop emeritus of Galveston-Houston, as the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Amarillo to serve until the appointment and installation of the new bishop.

The resignation and appointment were publicized in Washington, D.C. on February 14, 2026, by Cardinal Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States. 

The Diocese of Amarillo is comprised of 25,800 square miles in the State of Texas.

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VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Vatican released Pope Leo XIV's message for Lent, which begins Feb. 18 on Ash Wednesday.

Titled, "Listening and Fasting: Lent as a Time of Conversion," the papal message asked Catholics to come together as a community to listen to the word of God and to the vulnerable.

The pope also invited the faithful to engage in a "very practical and frequently unappreciated form of abstinence: that of refraining from words that offend and hurt our neighbor."

Instead, he asked, "let us strive to measure our words and cultivate kindness and respect in our families, among our friends, at work, on social media, in political debates, in the media and in Christian communities. In this way, words of hatred will give way to words of hope and peace."

Lent is a time to "place the mystery of God back in the center of our lives, in order to find renewal in our faith and keep our hearts from being consumed by the anxieties and distractions of daily life," the pope wrote. 

The pope's full message can be found in English and in Spanish.