The Pontifical Swiss Guard is one of the smallest armies in the world, and one of the oldest still in operation. Its main responsibility is to protect the Pope and the Apostolic Palace. Although they have mostly held a ceremonial role in recent years, their training now includes unarmed combat and firearms. Not surprisingly, to ...read more

Sometimes our work here at Salt + Light takes us to different cities or countries and when we travel, we often have to hire someone who we call a “fixer” – that’s what they call them in the industry. The fixer is a local person, someone who speaks the language, knows the customs and knows ...read more

During the Holy Mass for the Canonization of Blessed Francisco and Blessed Jacinta Marto, Mons. Antonio Dos Santos Marto, bishop of Leiria-Fatima, greeted Pope Francis with those words: Greeting to the Holy Father from Mons. Antonio Marto, Bishop of Leiria-Fatima “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my ...read more

The highlight of Pope Francis’ apostolic visit to Fatima was the canonization Mass on Saturday morning, during which the two shepherd children, Blessed Francisco and Blessed Jacinta were proclaimed saints. During his homily the Pope said, “we can take as our examples Saint Francisco and Saint Jacinta, whom the Virgin Mary introduced into the immense ocean of ...read more

This evening the Holy Father went to the Chapel of the Apparitions in the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima where the Blessing of the Candles took place. After a moment of silent Prayer and meditation, the Pope blessed the candles, then he pronounced welcoming words for the pilgrims and introduced the Prayer of the ...read more

At 1:15 (EST), during his pilgrimage to Fatima, Pope Francis visits the Chapel of the Apparition, surrounded by a thousand children. After few minutes of silent prayer in front of the Madonna, he pronounces the Prayer below. At the end of it the Holy Father gives the Golden Rose as a gift to the Virgin ...read more

Is it a sin to download pirated music, books, films or software? ...read more

Video-message of the Holy Father on occasion of his Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Fátima Yesterday, the Vatican released the Holy Father’s latest video message, the Pope’s message to Portugal. Pope Francis will be traveling to the Shrine of Our Lady of Fátima, on the occasion of the centenary of the Apparitions ...read more

At Fatima, Mary appeared to 9 year-old Francisco, his 7-year-old sister, Jacinta and their 10 year-old cousin Lucia. During the second apparition, on the 13th of June Mary told them that Francisco and Jacinta would be taken to Heaven soon but that Lucia would live a long life. She also asked Lucia to learn to ...read more

A lot of the conversations about Fatima have to do with the so-called “three secrets”. There really weren’t three secrets. During the third apparition, on July 13, 1917 Mary showed the children two visions. The first was a vision of Hell. This is what is sometimes referred to as the first secret. Following that vision, ...read more