NATION/WORLD

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis has declared as saints 16 Carmelite martyrs executed by guillotine during the French Revolution and confirmed the martyrdom and heroic virtues of five others in a series of decrees published Dec. 18 .Using what the Vatican called an "equipollent" or equivalent canonization, Pope Francis approved adding to the canon of saints Blessed Teresa of St. Augustine and 15 other members of the Carmelites of Compiègne killed during the French Reign of Terror.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis called on Catholics to focus their Holy Year 2025 pilgrimages on Jesus Christ, who is both the path and destination for Christian hope. At his general audience Dec. 18, the pope began a new series of talks on "Jesus Christ our hope," which he announced will the theme for his weekly catechesis throughout the Jubilee Year, which is set to begin with the opening of the Holy Door in St. Peter's Basilica Dec. 24.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- In late November, during a brief audience with people involved in the sport of motorcycle racing, Pope Francis asked for prayers, joking that "my work is very accelerated, and my bike has aged and doesn't work properly! "Pope Francis, who was to celebrate his 88th birthday Dec. 17, mostly uses a wheelchair instead of walking and presides over rather than concelebrates most public liturgies. Still, he had a 2024 full of important engagements, the longest trip of his papacy and major preparations for the Holy Year 2025, which he is set to open Dec. 24.

ROME (CNS) -- Making his customary visit to the Rome Basilica of St. Mary Major to pray before his trip to the French island of Corsica, Pope Francis also met and prayed with dozens of actors staging a living Nativity scene. For the third year in a row, the basilica and an Italian association that promotes the tradition of Nativity scenes, including living representations, turned the neighborhood around the basilica into a small Bethlehem with the manger on the basilica's steps.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Christians are called to be more like Mary: generous and loving servants of the Lord, Pope Francis said. "Sadly, if we look around us, we realize that the presumption that we can be 'like God,' which led to the first sin, continues to wound our human family," he said, celebrating Mass in St. Peter's Basilica Dec. 8, the feast of the Immaculate Conception.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis received a new, emission-free, all-electric popemobile from representatives of Mercedes-Benz, the German car manufacturer that has been supplying vehicles for the popes for nearly 100 years."We are overjoyed to be able to fulfill the Holy Father's wish for an electric popemobile and are particularly proud to be able to build the vehicle according to his requirements," Britta Seeger, head of sales and marketing and member of the board of management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, said in a press release Dec. 4.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The world is in great need of hope, Pope Francis said. "Day by day, let us fill our lives with the gift of hope that God gives us, and through us, let us allow it to reach everyone who is looking for it," the pope said in a video explaining the intention he would like Catholics to pray for during the month of December. The pope's message encouraging prayers "for pilgrims of hope" was released by the Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network Dec. 3. The network posts a short video of the pope offering his specific prayer intention each month, and members of the network pray for that intention each day.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Despite the problems and worries in the world, Jesus invites Christians to look toward heaven, trust in his saving love and make room for him in order to find hope again, Pope Francis said. "Sadness is awful," he told visitors gathered in St. Peter's Square for the Angelus Dec. 1, the first Sunday of Advent.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Using what the Vatican called an "equipollent" or equivalent beatification, Pope Francis recognized as "blessed" a 15th-century Spanish abbess, mystic and preacher. The pope signed decrees in four sainthood causes as well as the beatification declaration Nov. 25 for Blessed Juana de la Cruz, who was born Juana Vázquez Gutiérrez in what is today Numancia La Sagra, Spain. The Dicastery for the Causes of Saints said she probably was born May 3, 1481, and fled to the Monastery of Santa Maria de la Cruz in La Ciroleda, joining a group of Third Order Franciscans after her father and uncle promised her in marriage to a local nobleman. She made her religious profession in 1497.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis announced that he will canonize Blesseds Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati next year and that the Vatican will host a world meeting on the rights of the child Feb. 3. The pope will canonize Blessed Acutis April 27, during the Jubilee for Adolescents in Rome April 25-27 and Blessed Frassati during the Jubilee of Young People in Rome July 28-Aug. 3. The pope made the announcement during his general audience in St. Peter's Square Nov. 20, which is World Children's Day.