The visit to Vilnius by Bartholomew, Patriarch of Constantinople, marked the completion of the return of Lithuanian territory to his jurisdiction with the consecration of an exarch in a country that has welcomed many Orthodox Christians who left Moscow due to the schism. At the same time, Kirill was in nearby Kaliningrad, where he emphasised the ‘patriotic’ mission of his community.

At his first Angelus after returning from his trip to Spain, the Pope thanked the Spanish people for their “great enthusiasm and devotion”. His thoughts were with the victims of the earthquake in South-East Asia: “I pray for the deceased”. He recalled some newly beatified martyrs: “Courageous witnesses”. On the Gospel of the day: “Bringing charity where there is misery”.

Since the start of the year, a special pastoral team set up by Cardinal Chow has been active, dedicated to ministering to the thousands of Mandarin-speaking people who have arrived in the city in recent years. The team leader, Fr Bruno Lepeu, told the Sunday Examiner: “Friendship and care rooted in God’s love”. Of particular significance are the initiatives for young cross-border students and the parents of children attending Catholic schools.

Amidst the red mountains of southern Jordan, archaeologists have unearthed Ayn Abu Nukhayla, one of the most important Neolithic settlements in the Middle East. The research tells the story of the emergence of the first settled communities, revealing a history far more fascinating than the legends that have fuelled the desert’s imagination for centuries.

Despite the Indian National Congress party’s gains in southern India following the latest local elections, the dispute over the Mekedatu dam project remains unresolved. Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are at loggerheads over the management of the Kaveri’s waters, a dispute that has lasted for over a century and flares up particularly during periods of drought.

In northern Bangladesh, the project to erect one of Asia’s largest statues of the Hindu god Ram has been halted. Muslim leaders are calling for the statue’s permanent removal, whilst Christian and Hindu representatives denounce a climate of mounting pressure on non-Muslim communities.