Lent is time of "spiritual combat against the spirit of evil", Pope Francis said at yesterday's Angelus (full text, full video). Pope Francis began his annual Lenten retreat with the Roman Curia last night. Coptic Pope Tawadros II has declared that the 21 Christians beheaded by ISIS in Libya are martyrs. "The Church of Africa will firmly oppose every rebellion against the teaching of Christ and the Magisterium," Vatican Cardinal Robert Sarah has said in a book-length interview. Cardinal John Onaiyekan has praised politicians for ensuring that Nigeria has "not yet been totally overrun by crazy ideas posing as modern and progressive". William Saletan argues that opponents of Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco "are confused" (Rick Garnett). And four Catholic priests have released a rock album marking the 500th anniversary of St Teresa of Ávila's birth. Follow me on Twitter @lukecoppen for updates throughout the day.