Hello and welcome to this week’s Vaticano Updates – the most important news from the Holy Father and the Vatican. 

TOP 1: Ecumenical prayer vigil for Synod on Synodality In his Angelus address, Pope Francis announced that an ecumenical prayer vigil will take place in St. Peter’s Square as part of the Church’s ongoing Synod on Synodality. The ecumenical prayer vigil, organized by the Taizé Community, will “entrust to God the work of the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops,” set to take place in two sessions from Oct. 4 to 29, 2023, and in October 2024. 

TOP 2: Synodal journey ‘a challenge and task’ for American seminarians The Holy Father told American seminarians in Rome that they are called to take up the “challenge and task” of the synodal journey — of listening to the Holy Spirit and to one another — as they study to become priests. The pope met with students, staff, and faculty of the Pontifical North American College (NAC) at the Vatican. Francis said: “This is also the challenge and task you are called to take up as you walk together along the path that leads to priestly ordination and pastoral service.” 

TOP 3: Pope Francis met Italian Prime Minister Pope Francis met Giorgia Meloni, Italy’s first female prime minister, at the Vatican. The private meeting, which lasted a little over 30 minutes. Meloni was among the first to pay her respects to the late Pope Benedict XVI in St. Peter’s Basilica on Jan. 2, together with Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella. At the papal audience Meloni introduced her team to Pope Francis, her 6-year-old daughter also took part in the meeting. 

TOP 4: Investigation into ‘Vatican Girl’ cold case reopened The Vatican promoter of justice announced that the investigation into the vanishing of Emanuela Orlandi will be reopened. Orlandi is a teenaged Vatican citizen whose disappearance in the 1980s has since spawned myriad conspiracy theories. In a brief statement the Holy See Press Office reported that the decision to reopen the investigation was made partly in response to several requests made by Orlandi’s family. 

TOP 5: World Day of the Sick: Vulnerability threatens the ‘culture of efficiency’ In a message published ahead of the World Day of the Sick, Pope Francis said that sickness and vulnerability is scary because it is a threat to the culture of efficiency. The pontiff said: “The plight of the sick is a call that cuts through indifference and slows the pace of those who go on their way as if they had no sisters and brothers”. The Catholic Church will mark the 31st annual World Day of the Sick on Feb. 11, the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes.