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A team of archaeologists uncovered new evidence this month about location of the house of Saint Peter. While excavating a fifth-sixth century Byzantine basilica at the el Araj archaeological site located on the shores of the Sea of Galilee in Israel, the team discovered a large Greek mosaic that seems to bolster the theory that the church was built over the home of Saints Peter and Andrew. The mosaic is inscribed with a petition that asks for the intercession of Saint Peter, who is referred to as “the chief and commander of the heavenly apostles.” The next excavation will take place in October. The team will complete the cleaning of the church, and hopes to uncover more inscriptions.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/252110/st-peter-s-house-believed-found-shore-sea-of-galilee
Patriarch Kirill of Moscow will not attend an interreligious summit in Kazakhstan in September, where it was hoped he would meet with Pope Francis to discuss a peaceful resolution to the six-month-long war in Ukraine. Pope Francis will travel to Kazakhstan for the VII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in the city of Nur-Sultan on September 13th to 15th. There had been speculation that the two religious leaders — who met in Havana, Cuba, in 2016 — might meet in person, possibly in Jerusalem, to discuss Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which Kirill has publicly supported. The Vatican has said it stands ready to mediate peace talks between the two countries.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/252118/patriarch-kirill-will-not-meet-pope-francis-in-kazakhstan
Less than a week after abducting the bishop of Matagalpa and apostolic administrator of Estelí, Rolando Álvarez, the dictatorship of Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua has silenced another Catholic radio station. Radio Stereo Fe of the Diocese of Estelí lamented August 24 on Facebook that “almost 28 years of radio evangelization on FM have ended today.” The reason used by the telecommunications regulatory agency of the Ortega dictatorship “is that the radio station is functioning with the license in the name of Father Francisco Valdivia,” a deceased priest, “and that the new director doesn’t have any permission.” The closure of the radio station took place just one day after the priests of the Diocese of Estelí released a statement calling on the authorities of the dictatorial regime of Ortega to convert, to allow them to work in peace, and to release Álvarez.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/252114/daniel-ortega-regime-shuts-down-another-catholic-radio-station-in-nicaragua
Shortly after Governor Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma denied clemency to death row inmate James Coddington on Wednesday, the Archbishop of Oklahoma City encouraged the state not to resort to the death penalty. Archbishop Paul Coakley urged prayer for an end to the death penalty and “that our leaders may have the wisdom and compassion to recognize the humanity in every person, regardless of their state in life.” The Diocese of Tulsa plans to hold a prayer vigil outside the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/252113/oklahoma-city-archbishop-disappointed-by-denial-of-clemency-to-death-row-inmate
Today, the Church celebrates Saint Louis. As the king of France, his biographers have written of the long hours he spent in prayer, fasting, and penance, without the knowledge of his people. King Louis was renowned for his charity. Beggars were fed from his table, he washed their feet, ministered to the wants of the lepers, and daily fed over one hundred poor. Saint Louis was also a patron of architecture. He died of the plague near Tunis during the Second Crusade.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-louis-ix-of-france-570