Here are today’s dispatches from the crossroads of faith, media and culture.

1. Papal plug? Not officially, but Pope Benedict XVI will sorta help in the publicity promoting the new film For Greater Glory  during his upcoming trip to Mexico and Cuba. On March 25th, the pontiff will will celebrate mass for  over 400,000 on the faithful in the shadow of Mexico’s Cristo Rey (Christ the King) statue which was erected as a commemoration of the struggle of the martyrs of the Cristero War whose story is told in the movie which opens in theaters across the U.S. on June 1.

The Cristero War (1926-29) – was a grassroots rebellion against the administration of Plucarto Elias Calles, who sought to restrict – if not eliminate – Catholicism from the country.  On Nov. 20, 2005 – Christ the King Sunday – more than a dozen Cristero martyrs were beatified – including Blessed José Sanchez del Rio, who died at age 14.

2. Jesus miniseries to air on GMC. The faith-themed cable network will air the epic-but-intimate drama about the life of Christ (which first aired on CBS in 2000) on Palm Sunday, April 1 at 7 p.m. ET with encore broadcasts on Good Friday, April 6 at 9 p.m. ET and on Easter Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. The event stars Jeremy Sisto (Law & Order, Six Feet Under, Suburgatory) in the title role. The all-star cast also includes Jacqueline Bisset (Rizzoli & Isles, Joan of Arc) as Mary, Debra Messing (Smash, Will & Grace) as Mary Magdalene and Gary Oldman (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Book of Eli, The Dark Knight, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows) as Pontius Pilate.

Encourage one another and build each other up – 1 Thessalonians 5:11