Religion

More than 1,000 people died during this year’s Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia as the faithful faced intense high temperatures at Islamic holy sites in the desert kingdom.

Masses of pilgrims have embarked on a symbolic stoning of the devil in Saudi Arabia, marking the final days of Hajj pilgrimage and the start of the Eid al-Adha celebrations for Muslims around the world.

Pope Francis on Friday became the first pontiff to attend the G7 summit.

At its annual meeting, the nation’s largest Protestant denomination also urged members “to advocate for the government to restrain actions inconsistent with the dignity and value of every human being.”

Southern Baptists also elected a new convention president and passed a nonbinding statement cautioning couples about using in vitro fertilization.

Police are searching for the vandals who left messages of antisemitism in paint splattered on the homes of leaders of the Brooklyn Museum. NBC New York’s Melissa Colorado reports.

Authorities are investigating reports of vandals targeting the homes of the Brooklyn Museum‘s Jewish director and some board members after NYC Comptroller Brad Lander posted photos of red paint-smeared doors and hateful speech. “The cowards who did this are way over the line into antisemitism, harming the cause they claim to care about, and making everyone less safe,” Lander...

Chaos erupted inside a Washington Heights coffee shop — and workers’ quick actions may have saved someone’s life. Romney Smith reports.

The Southern Baptist Convention is preparing to vote on a proposed constitutional ban on churches with women pastors.

Pope Francis has paved the way for the canonization of the first saint of the millennial generation, attributing a second miracle to a 15-year-old Italian computer whiz who died of leukemia in 2006.

The Vatican on Friday radically reformed its process for evaluating alleged visions of the Virgin Mary, weeping statues and other seemingly supernatural phenomena, insisting on having the final say in whether the events are worthy of popular devotion.

The Vatican is updating its norms on how to determine if visions of the Virgin Mary are authentic. It’s stepping in amid concern that sometimes apocalyptic prophesies are spreading online faster than ever before, causing confusion among the faithful.

United Methodist delegates have repealed their church’s longstanding ban on LGBTQ clergy with no debate.

The Anti-Defamation League released an audit of antisemitic incidents in 2023, finding that instances of harassment, assault and vandalism were up 140% compared to the year before.

Two days before Easter Sunday is another important Christian holiday. Known as Good Friday, the holy day commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

A Filipino villager says he has signed up to be nailed to a wooden cross for the 35th time to reenact Jesus Christ’s suffering in a brutal Good Friday tradition he says he will devote to pray for peace in Ukraine, Gaza and the disputed South China Sea.

Holi is the Hindu festival of colors, which is celebrated to mark the start of spring in India, Nepal and the diaspora. The festival typically falls in March.

Conservative and Republican activists believe the United States was founded as a Christian nation. But historians say the Constitution doesn’t establish Christianity as an official religion and instead prioritizes religious freedom. What to know.

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent and its observance lasts for 40 days, excluding Sundays. Here’s what to know about the Christian tradition.

Three Kings Day (Día de Los Reyes) or the Feast of Epiphany is a holiday that commemorates the day the three wise men — Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar — arrived with gifts for baby Jesus.