Pope Benedict’s Message for World Peace Day 2013, entitled “Blessed are the Peacemakers,” was released today by the Vatican. It is an important message, heartfelt, compelling and sober. In an ideal world, if every person, everywhere lived every word of this message, we’d be living in the best of all possible worlds. In reality, if only a portion of people in half the countries of thr world lived this message, we'd be in a far better world!

To read it in its entity – especially if you are a peacemaker, a defender of life, of marriage, of religious freedom – please click here: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/messages/peace/documents/hf_ben-xvi_mes_20121208_xlvi-world-day-peace_en.html

VATICAN INSIDER: BISHOP EMMANUEL BADEJO, PART TWO

You won’t want to miss Part Two of my interview this week on “Vatican Insider” when my guest is once again the dynamic, articulate and enthusiastic Bishop Emmanuel Badejo of Oyo, Nigeria. We met during the October synod on evangelization and spent a delightful half hour talking about the situation in Nigeria, the plight of Christians and Muslims in that country, his amazing work with young people, and the importance of inter-religious dialogue, among other topics.

I am sure you immensely enjoyed Bishop Badejo in the first part of our talk, especially when he told the story of how he was the catalyst (catalyst is my word – he was far too humble to take credit) for bringing EWTN back to the airwaves for the 20 million Catholics in Nigeria when the company carrying EWTN said they “did not have enough viewers”! Here is a link to the diocesan website: http://www.catholicdioceseoyo.org/

Listen to Vatican Insider on a Catholic radio station near you (there is a list of U.S. stations at www.ewtn.com) or on Sirius satellite radio. If you live outside the U.S. you can listen to EWTN radio on our web page: click on the right side where you see “LISTEN TO EWTN.” Vatican Insider airs Saturday mornings at 9:30 am (Eastern time) and re-airs Sundays at 4:30 pm (ET). To go to Vatican Insider archives: http://www.ewtn.com/vondemand/audio/file_index.asp?SeriesId=7096&pgnu

CHRISTMAS TREE LIT IN ST. PETER’S SQUARE

The Vatican’s Christmas tree lighting ceremony was held in late afternoon in the magical splendor of St. Peter’ Square, framed by Bernini’s awesome colonnade and the majesty of St. Peter’s basilica in the dusk of a cool December afternoon.

The 24-meter tree standing next to the obelisk and the nativity scene under construction is a gift from the Italian region of Molise. Civil and religious officials from the Vatican and Molise, forest rangers who helped bring the tree to Rome, singers and a huge group of citizens from Molise were joined by visitors and passers-by in St. Peter’s Square.

The smallest visitors were in awe of the ceremony, the light and the music by the Vatican’s gendarmerie band as they played in St. Peter’s Square, just yards below the Holy Father’s window.

The tree and, in the background, trees on Janiculum Hill.

I took this as I left the square.

In addition to the photos I post here, I am in the process of placing 3 videos of the Christmas tree lighting ceremony late this afternoon in St. Peter’s Square on youtube/joansome

Write to Joan at:
joansrome@ewtn.com

CLICK HERE FOR PRACTICAL INFORMATION ON VISITING THE VATICAN.

View Joan's videos at : www.youtube.com/joansrome