Victoria Cardiel

As a journalist, Victoria Cardiel has specialized in social and religious news. Since 2013, she has covered the Vatican for various media outlets, including Europa Press and Alfa and Omega, the weekly newspaper of the Archdiocese of Madrid.

Pope Leo XIV greets an audience at the Jubilee of Catechists at the Vatican, Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

Pope Leo XIV Chooses Theme for 34th World Day of the Sick: "The compassion of the Samaritan"

The theme focuses on the Gospel figure of the Good Samaritan, “who shows love by taking care of the wounded...

Nigerian security officers during a military operation ahead of the gubernatorial elections in Benin City, Edo, Nigeria, on Sept. 17, 2020. / Credit: Oluwafemi Dawodu/Shutterstock

Christian Persecution in Nigeria: 1,200 Churches Destroyed Annually, Hundreds Killed

Violence against Catholic priests and members of other Christian groups in Nigeria continues to increase, especially in the eastern part...

Pope Leo XIV waves from the popemobile in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican during his weekly general audience on Sept. 24, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

Pope Leo XIV Reaffirms 2-state Solution for Holy Land, Warns of Escalating War in Ukraine

Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday renewed the Holy See’s support for a two-state solution in the Holy Land and voiced...

Archbishop Gallagher speaks at the United Nations in New York on Sept. 23, 2025. / Credit: Permanent Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations

Vatican Rejects "false solutions such as abortion" While Defending Women’s Equality at UN

Archbishop Paul Gallagher reaffirmed before the United Nations the Holy See’s commitment to promoting the dignity and equality of women.

Pope Leo XIV meets with representatives of several women’s religious orders in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace on Sept. 22, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

Pope Leo XIV to Religious: "God found not one, but many strong and courageous women"

Pope Leo XIV met Sept. 22 with Discalced Carmelite nuns from the Holy Land along with participants in the general...

In Pope Leo XIV’s first sit-down interview, published in Spanish on Sept. 18, 2025, the pope warned of the loss of humanity in the digital world of artificial intelligence (AI). / Credit: Daniel Ibañez/EWTN News

Pope Leo XIV: "It’s going to be very difficult to discover the presence of God in AI"

Pope Leo XIV pointed to the loss of humanity in the digital realm and warned that “extremely wealthy” people are...

Pope Leo XIV on Sept. 16, 2025, expelled from the clerical state an Italian deacon who was convicted of sexual offenses against minors. / Credit: Freedom Studio/Shutterstock

Pope Leo XIV Expels Deacon from the Clerical State for Abuse of Minors

Italian permanent deacon Alessandro Frateschi, who was convicted of sexual offenses against minors, has been expelled from the clerical state...

Pope Leo XIV addresses pilgrims at his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican on Sept. 17, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

Pope Leo XIV Decries "unacceptable conditions" in Gaza, Urges Release of Hostages

Pope Leo XIV said he was closely following the impact of Israel’s ground offensive in Gaza City, where about 600,000...

Silvia Toma before participating in the vigil with Pope Leo XIV on Sept. 15, 2025. / Credit: Victoria Cardiel/EWTN News

Jubilee of Consolation: Mother Who Lost Her Only Son Never Reproached God for Anything

Silvia Toma has a scar on her soul: Four years ago she buried her 34-year-old only son, who had two little...

Illuminated drones reproduce Michelangelo's "Pietà" over St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on September 14, 2025. / Courtney Mares

Vatican Lights Up With Drone Show at Historic "Grace for the World" Concert

St. Peter’s Square became the stage for an unprecedented spectacle on Saturday night, involving more than 3,000 illuminated drones.

Pope Leo XIV at a window of the Vatican's Apostolic Palace, leading pilgrims in reciting the Angelus, on September 14, 2025, the pope's 70th birthday. / Vatican Media

"I give thanks to the Lord and to my parents": Pope Leo XIV Marks 70th Birthday at Sunday Angelus

On Sunday, his 70th birthday, Pope Leo XIV presided at the recitation of the Angelus with pilgrims in St. Peter’s...

Pope Leo XIV greets participants in the third edition of the World Meeting on Human Fraternity at the Vatican on Sept. 12, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

Pope Leo XIV Tells World Meeting on Human Fraternity to Welcome Migrants, Care for Poor

Pope Leo XIV spoke out on Friday against what he called the business of wars while condemning attitudes of rejection...

The stamps of saints-to-be Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati will be worth 1.35 euros ($1.60) each. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican Issues Special Stamps for Canonization of Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati

The young faces of Blessed Carlo Acutis and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati will be immortalized in special stamps issued on...

Pope Leo XIV appealed for help for Sudan during his Wednesday general audience in St. Peter's Square on Sept. 3, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media.

Pope Leo XIV Pleads for Help for "humanitarian catastrophe" in Sudan

Pope Leo XIV pleaded for assistance for the people of Sudan, who are experiencing violence, famine, natural disasters, and disease.

Pope Leo XIV addresses pilgrims during his general audience on July 30, 2025, in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican. / Credit: Vatican Media

Pope Leo XIV Expresses His "profound sorrow" Over Death of Migrants in Shipwreck off Yemen

In a gesture of closeness to the victims of irregular migration, Pope Leo XIV expressed his “profound sorrow” for the...

Pope Leo XIV waves at pilgrims from South Korea before the closing Mass of the Jubilee of Youth at the University of Rome Tor Vergata on Aug. 3, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

Pope Leo XIV Announces Dates for 2027 World Youth Day in South Korea

Pope Leo XIV announced that the dates of the next World Youth Day, to be held in Seoul, South Korea,...

The central loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica. / Credit: Jeffrey Bruno/CNA

Vatican Reports 2024 Asset Management Earnings of 62 Million Euros

The Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See presented its financial statement for the 2024 fiscal year, with net...

St. John Paul II in the popemobile amid the enthusiasm of 2 million young people at World Youth Day in 2000. / Credit: Vatican Media/Osservatore Romano

The Ardent Spirit of Young People: Youth Jubilee from St. John Paul II to Leo XIV

Thousands of young people are expected to spend the night in tents at the Tor Vergata esplanade in the south...

Cardinal Pietro Parolin speaks at an EWTN dinner in Frascati, Italy, Oct. 19, 2022. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA

"Dangerous sign": Vatican Secretary of State on Deadly Attack on Church in Democratic Republic of Congo

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin expressed his concern over the July 27 attack on a Catholic church in...

Pope Leo XIV urges “full respect for humanitarian law” amid a food crisis in Gaza  in his address following the Angelus prayer on July 27, 2025, at the Vatican. / Credit: Vatican Media screenshot

Pope Leo XIV Urges "full respect for humanitarian law" in Gaza

Pope Leo XIV called for peace negotiations and respect for humanitarian law in Gaza, 10 days after an Israeli strike...