Barb Fraze

The Ukrainian national flag flies near Holy Wisdom Cathedral, or St. Sophia Cathedral, in central Kyiv on Feb. 14, 2025, amid Russia’s full-scale war on Ukraine. Up to seven people were killed and up to 13 injured in a large-scale Russian drone attack on Kyiv and Odesa June 10, which also damaged the historic cathedral. (OSV News photo/Thomas Peter, Reuters)

(OSV News) -- Israeli authorities closed Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulcher as part of wider closures for security concerns, beginning Feb. 28, when Israel and the United States launched attacks against Iran. A statement from the head of Israel's Civil Administration confirmed that "all holy sites in the Old City of Jerusalem, including the Western

The decision was framed as a precaution against potential attacks and to prevent mass gatherings amid Iran's persistent attacks

Bishop John H. Ricard, pictured in a 2003 photo, died May 20, 2026, at age 86. He was the first Black bishop to be an auxiliary of the Archdiocese of Baltimore (1984 to 1997) and to head the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee, Florida (1997-2011). He was elected superior general of the Josephites in 2019 and reelected in 2023. (OSV News photo/Paul Haring)