At Brazil’s Carnival, the country’s religions fight for respect on a global stage

by News Feed Editor | Feb 20, 2026 | Religion

(RNS) — Rio de Janeiro’s lavish Carnival parades, which burst to life in the days before Lent begins, are famous for their colorful costumes, giant floats and the driving rhythm of samba that is a hallmark of Brazilian culture and a magnet for tourists from around the...

Cardinal Dolan says Vance apologized for claiming bishops were pro-immigrant for the money

by News Feed Editor | Feb 20, 2026 | Religion

(RNS) — Vice President JD Vance apologized to Cardinal Timothy Dolan for his accusations that Catholic bishops expressed concerns about immigration issues because they were motivated by money, the cardinal said in an interview on EWTN, a large Catholic television...

Inspired by Catholic nuns, Kenyan Lutheran pastor becomes church’s first female presiding bishop

by News Feed Editor | Feb 20, 2026 | Religion

NAIROBI, Kenya (RNS) — A Lutheran pastor inspired in her youth by a Catholic priest and nuns is set to become the first female presiding bishop of the Kenya Evangelical Lutheran Church. The Rev. Catherine Ngina Musau, a 55-year-old mother of two adult children, was...

Hegseth frames Trump policies as ‘biblical’ in address to Christian broadcasters

by News Feed Editor | Feb 20, 2026 | Religion

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RNS) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth greeted the annual convention of the National Religious Broadcasters on Thursday (Feb. 19) by quoting from a famed Christian hymn, often sung on Palm Sunday: “All glory, laud and honor to you, Redeemer King. To...

The travertine quarries that built ancient Rome are carving rock for a new generation of temples

by News Feed Editor | Feb 20, 2026 | Religion

TIVOLI, Italy (AP) — Long ago, when Romans wanted to build a new temple, they would head to the nearby quarries of Tivoli, chisel out blocks of porous rock called lapis tiburtinus — now known as travertine — and float the cargo downstream on rafts to craftsmen in...

How one displaced family in Gaza is observing Ramadan’s first day under a fragile ceasefire deal

by News Feed Editor | Feb 20, 2026 | Religion

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — Waleed al Zamli longingly recalled the joys and traditions of the first day of Ramadan before the Israel-Hamas war had drastically altered his life: Lanterns for the children. Sweets. Special dishes. “Before the war, we would greet it...