Russia

The Rosary will be celebrated on 31 May in front of the Grotta di Lourdes, Vatican Gardens. The Rosary prayer will be broadcast live on all Holy See channels and world Catholic media. Some shrines will be live.

The Italian edition for Cantagalli has been out a few weeks ago. It is the autobiographical chronicle of his 13 months in prison, after being sentenced to six years for sexual abuse. The "highest ranking Vatican personality to be convicted of paedophilia" was acquitted on appeal on April 7, 2020. The book narrates day-to-day life in prison, "under special surveillance", treated "like a terrorist", physical needs, health care needs, the progress of the trial, concern for the Church in the world and prayer.

By June, 600 inmates will lay railroad tracks between Lake Baikal and the Amur River. The use of detainees appeared necessary after the collapse of migrations of Kyrgyz and Tajik seasonal workers. At least 15,000 workers will be needed. Meanwhile, discussions are being held on the "ecological clean-up" project of the Arctic Circle. Members of Putin's party denounce a possible return to the Stalinist system.

Francis will address the prayer to an image of Our Lady to whom he is very devoted, that of the Virgin Mary Undoer of Knots, to whom he will entrust five “knots” to be untied.

Failure to define the borders between the two Caucasian countries risks separating Armenia from Iran. Tensions mount between Yerevan and Baku, between Tehran and the Russian and Turkish "peacekeepers". Zarif makes desperate bid to save Rouhani.

The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue issues a message for Vesakh. “May this dramatic situation of the COVID-19 pandemic strengthen our bonds of friendship and further unite us in service to the human family”.

“Sometimes our prayers seem to go unheard” even if “the reason we prayed was noble”, such as for the end of a war. "Let us learn this humble patience of waiting for the grace of the Lord, of waiting for the last day". "Often the end is very ugly, because human suffering is ugly, but the Lord is there. In the end, He resolves everything, it is the day when all human yearnings for salvation will be fulfilled. We learn to wait ".

The police interrupted a pre-election congress citing anti-Covid "health" reasons. Congress was to build electoral alliances to counter Putin's United Russia party. In mid-March, another Forum was blocked in Moscow. The "territory vote" to aid the "smart vote" of Naval'nyj supporters. But the authorities seem to want to stifle any opposition.

The "Laudato si 'Action Platform" is launched, "which will involve our communities in different ways, so that they become totally sustainable, in the spirit of integral ecology". An invitation to “seven realities: families - parishes and dioceses - schools and universities - hospitals - businesses and farms - organizations, groups and movements - religious institutes”.

Belarusian airlines banned from flying over European skies or using stopovers in the 27 countries of the Union. The arrested journalist appears with a bruised face on a video "confession". The young man's father fears that he is being tortured. His work in support of the opposition considered a gesture of "terrorism". Svetlana Tikhanovskaja demands his immediate release.

The two evangelizers, celebrated yesterday, used a "Christian alphabet" to unite different peoples, overcoming the prejudice between "Greeks" and "barbarians". President Vladimir Putin Best sends best wishes to Patriarch Kirill.

“The Synod is nothing more than making explicit what Lumen Gentium says: The totality of God's people, everything from the bishop down, is ‘infallibile in credendo’ (infallible in belief), i.e. cannot be wrong. There is harmony in such unity, but such faith must be made explicit.”