Pope Francis gives an early Christmas Eve homily with a pointed message on humility Pope Francis celebrated Christmas Eve Mass in St. Peter's Basilica as COVID-19 infections surge in Italy. Sylvia Poggioli
For some secular Jews, their pandemic hobby has been learning Yiddish During the pandemic, some secular Jews have taken up learning Yiddish to reconnect to their heritage. Deena Prichep
Pastors are scrambling to decide whether to hold Christmas Eve services Hopes of a post-pandemic Christmas are vanishing. The rise of the coronavirus omicron variant has pastors scrambling at the last minute to decide whether to hold Christmas Eve services. Deena Prichep
Piñatas: A staple in Christmas traditions Piñatas are a common element in parties across different countries and especially in Mexico around Christmas time. The story of their origin combines cultures, traditions and religions. Alejandra Marquez Janse
House members want Lauren Boebert removed from assignments over Islamophobic comments House Democratic leaders may bring up a resolution to remove Colorado Republican Representative Lauren Boebert from her committee assignments over her Islamophobic comments. Caitlyn Kim
Muslim rights organization fires director for passing information to a hate group The Ohio chapter of a Muslim rights organization says it has fired one of its directors, saying he had been spying on the organization for years and passing information to an anti-Muslim hate group. Tana Weingartner
The links between welfare in Utah and the LDS Church NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks with ProPublica reporter Eli Hager on why many Utah families living in poverty don't get assistance — from the state nor the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Patrick Jarenwattananon
Remembering Reverend Turner of White Earth Nation, who died of COVID Reverend Irvin Doyle Turner, "Netamishkang," died from COVID although he was fully vaccinated. His sons Doyle and Stephen Turner share what their father meant to the people of the White Earth Nation. Jason Fuller
A Canadian teacher was fired under a controversial Quebec law for wearing a hijab A teacher who wears a hijab was removed from the classroom under Quebec's Bill 21, which prohibits teachers wearing religious symbols in class. Emma Jacobs
Supreme Court signals further erosion of separation of church and state in schools The handwriting on the wall came during a nearly two hour argument involving a challenge brought by two Maine families to the state's unusual way of providing public education. Nina Totenberg