He was surprised when his GPS told him he had arrived, despite no signs of any of the famous buildings or architecture.

He was in Rom a the small town in North-Rhine Westphalia. He had mistakenly left the "e" off Rome when he set the destination on his GPS. Read more

Bishop Moth jumped from a plane at 15,000 feet to raise money to take ailing pilgrims to Lourdes. Continue reading

Leaders of the Warsaw-based "Faith and Rainbow" LGBT organisation say they want to minister to the thousands of gay, lesbian and transgender people attending the event.

They will do this through an "LGBT Pilgrim's Haven" in a cafe in Krakow's Kazimierz Jewish quarter.

"We want to create a space in which they will feel safe and where they will find answers to issues facing them," organiser Misza Czerniak said.

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Security is expected to be extremely tight in Krakow, Poland, the WYD host city, as authorities in both countries work to prevent any incident that would threaten visitors, said Paul Jarzembowski, World Youth Day USA co-ordinator and assistant director of youth and young adult ministries for the US Conference of Catholic Bishops.

He told Catholic News Service that current information indicates no threat to the celebration, scheduled for July 26-31. "The pilgrims' families can be assured that we're in regular communication with the State Department, the organisers in Krakow and the Polish Embassy in the United States," Jarzembowski said.

"Pilgrims can rest assured if they are vigilant and aware and up to date on the security situation, that the US and, most especially Poland, are doing everything they can to assure their safety," he added.

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The New York Times reported concerns from locals, as Italian visitors to Medjugorje make up the bulk of pilgrims visiting the village.

"Whatever the verdict turns out to be, this wait is creating a state of uncertainty for the pilgrims, and that affects the season," said Sante Frigo, an Italian married to a pilgrim guide in Medjugorje.

"From the point of view of the pilgrimage supply chain it's been a catastrophe."

Before the claims of apparitions, the residents survived on the output from tobacco plantations and vineyards.

In June, while flying back from Sarajevo in Bosnia, Pope Francis told reporters the Vatican was "close to coming to a decision" on the investigation into the claims at Medjugorje.

An international commission of cardinals, bishops, theologians and other experts, working under the Congregation of the Doctrine of Faith, was set up in 2010 to investigate the claims of six young people who said Mary had appeared to them daily, beginning in 1981.

The commission concluded its investigation 18 months ago, after four years of looking into the claims.

Three days after returning from Sarajevo, in a homily Francis dismissed those "who always need novelty in their Christian identity" and say: "But where are the visionaries who tell us today about ‘The letter that the Madonna will send tomorrow at 4 p.m.?'"

At the time, Vatican spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi, SJ, acknowledged that Francis was probably referring to Medjugorje in his homily, but he stressed that his brief mention was not the Vatican's final word.

A Vatican Insider article in June stated, "revelations made in recent months make it clear that the conclusions reached by the commission were not that negative".

"They gave credit to the first apparitions (the ones witnessed in June and July 1981), separating them from the ones which followed; they criticised some abuses but recognised the spiritual fruits and underlined the need for improved pastoral and spiritual care for seers and pilgrims . . . ."

Sources

• Catholic Herald
• Crux Now
• Vatican Insider
• Image: Croatia Experience

In April, American Denise Thiem, 41, went missing after last being seen near the church of Santa Marta in Astorga.

She was walking along the Camino Francés, one of the most popular of the pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela.

Spanish police say the investigation into her disappearance remains open, and family and friends have also organised their own searches of the area.

Late last month, a woman jogging near a popular spot for pilgrims was accosted by two men who attempted to force her into a car.

The administrator of an English-speaking online forum for the pilgrimage, Ivan Revke, said incidents of "improper behaviour" had been reported on a 24km stretch between Astorga and Rabanal del Camino.

He said pilgrims should walk in pairs or groups.

The Camino was, he said, a very safe place "but it only takes a few to make the situation more uncertain".

Local authorities have also recommended that pilgrims avoid travelling alone along the most remote sections of the route.

"It's for precaution, we understand there isn't any danger," said local mayor, Victorina Alonso.

She urged pilgrims to stay calm, noting that all of the incidents were being treated as isolated cases until the police found otherwise.

Residents have told local media that this wasn't the first they had heard of incidents like the attempted abduction.

There have been complaints about a lack of security in the area.

A German pilgrim reported being deceived by a false "arrow" sign and walking to an area where a masked man attacked her with a stun gun, but she was able to flee.

Spanish police confirmed that someone had been arrested in connection with the case.

Sources

• The Tablet
• Irish Times
• Image: Farodevigo

The 4.3 metre shroud has been put on display this year to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of St John Bosco, whose work in Turin focused on poor youth.

More than a million people from as far afield as Argentina and China are expected to head for Turin in the coming weeks to catch a glimpse of the shroud.

The Catholic Church has not taken a formal position on whether the shroud is authentic.

But Pope Francis is due to visit and pray in front of the relic on June 21 in a private viewing he will attend with his Italian relatives.

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Police confronted pilgrims outside the church on May 4, as thousand of Christians arrived for Easter celebrations, according to the Orthodox calendar.

As the police broke up the crowds in the narrow streets, Father Arsanios, the 85-year-old head of the Coptic Church in Ramallah, was beaten and temporarily lost consciousness.

The priest was treated at a local hospital and released, but a video of the incident circulated quickly on the Internet.

According to The Times of Israel, three high-ranking Egyptian diplomats were evicted from the church during the liturgy.

The apology from Israel's deputy foreign minister, Ze'ev Elkin, came after Israel's ambassador in Cairo was summoned by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and given a "strongly worded" complaint.

The leaders of the Christian churches in the Holy Land had issued a statement which said: "We, the Heads of Churches in Jerusalem, watched with sorrowful hearts the horrific scenes of the brutal treatment of our clergy, people and pilgrims in the Old City of Jerusalem during Holy Saturday [in the Julian calendar] last week.

"A day of joy and celebration was turned to great sorrow and pain for some of our faithful because they were ill-treated by some Israeli policemen who were present around the gates of the Old City and passages that lead to the Holy Sepulchre."

The heads of churches also condemned all "measures and violations of Christians' rights to worship in their churches and Holy Sites" and urged the Israeli authorities to allow "full access to the Holy Sites during Holy Week of both church calendars".

Following a directive from the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land, within two years all Eastern Catholics and the Latin Patriarchate in the Holy Land will officially adopt the Julian calendar date for Easter.

Sources:

CNEWA

AsiaNews

Image: CNEWA