Inside the Vatican — A New Year with the New Pope

Inside the Vatican – January/February 2026

Pope Leo XIV’s First Apostolic Journey, Vatican Analysis & Witnesses of Faith

The January/February 2026 issue of Inside the Vatican offers authoritative Catholic journalism centered on the historic first international apostolic journey of Pope Leo XIV. This issue provides a detailed, day-by-day account of the Holy Father’s visit to Turkey, commemorating the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea with Orthodox leaders, and to Lebanon, where he delivered a message of peace and hope to a region long marked by suffering and instability.

Also featured is an in-depth interview with Miroslaw Wachowski, the first bishop appointed and consecrated by Pope Leo XIV, offering insight into the Pope’s early vision for episcopal leadership. The issue includes careful news coverage and thoughtful commentary on the Vatican’s recent and widely discussed directives concerning titles of the Blessed Virgin Mary, helping readers understand both the theological context and the broader implications for the Church.

As part of our annual tradition, this issue presents the Top Ten People of 2025, themed “Disciples of the Beatitudes.” These profiles highlight Catholics living heroic faith in extraordinary circumstances, including Michael Didi, striving to keep Catholicism alive in Khartoum; Sonia McGarrity, a wife and mother who adopts children with Down syndrome; and Francesco Sforza, who dedicated his life to documenting four pontificates through the lens of history.

Why Read Inside the Vatican?

• Independent Catholic journalism since 1993

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As we celebrate 30 years of independent publication, this issue reminds readers why print still matters—because “Print is where free thought stays alive.”