EGYPT Remains of Coptic Christians martyred by ISIS in Libya return home On 14 May the remains of 20 Egyptian Coptic Christians executed by Islamic State in 2015 near the Libyan city of Sirte, the jihadists’ former bastion in the country, arrived at Cairo airport. They were flown from Misrata on a Libyan Afriqiyah Airways...
IRAQ “Thank you, Pope Francis, for the gesture of the Lamborghini” – Patriarch Sako “We are very grateful to Pope Francis for making this fatherly gesture. The pontifex is the father of the whole church and thinks of everyone, particularly those who are suffering as greatly as we are.” This is how the Chaldean...
VENEZUELA “The election is an affront to the political rights of the people” According to the latest report by Caritas Venezuela, the inflation of food prices exceeded 1,300% in 2017. And the IMF (International Monetary Fund) estimates that inflation in Venezuela will reach 13,000% in 2018, the highest rate in the world. On May 1st,...
INDONESIA ”IS has more and more supporters here” “There has never been an attack like this before in Surabaya. Christians in Indonesia are feeling desperate and terrorised, but I have told my faithful not to be afraid. For that is precisely what the terrorists want – to make us frightened.” This was the message to...
MYANMAR (BURMA) Over 7,000 Kachin Christians forced to flee violence The international media has given extensive coverage of Rohingya Muslims refugees who were forced to flee their villages in Burma for over a year. Yet little is heard about the plight of Burmese Christians from ethnic minorities, who have been subjected to persecution for...
BRAZIL In a Rio favela, a 12 year old girl has bulletproof faith LAÍS MARIA PEREIRA da Silva, 12, was born and raised in a part of Rio de Janeiro called Complexo da Maré, which comprises one of the biggest set of favelas—or shanty towns—in this Brazilian mega-city. Despite her youth, this girl is...
Did you know… Ferrero Rocher chocolates were inspired by Lourdes? Inside the golden wrapper of a Ferrero Rocher chocolate there is a multilayered sweet that looks a bit like a rock: a toasted hazelnut placed in a wafer shell filled with hazelnut cream, with a chocolate coating with pieces of hazelnuts. Few people know...
INDIA “It is anything but easy to be a Christian in India today” Dimensions of the community of faith: sources of friction and inspiration from India Interview with Veronique Vogel, head of the Indian section of Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), on the situation of Christians in India. The interview was held by...
BOSNIA The more people give, the greater their contentment Two professions in the life of the Croat religious sister Marija Bešker from Bosnia “She is stronger than Tito,” a doctor at the Trauma Surgery Unit of the Clinical Centre of the University of Sarajevo says. She is quick to retort, “Of course! President Tito...
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC ”Pray for this young, fragile but courageous Church” – interview with Fr Trinchero Father Federico Trinchero, the Superior of Our Lady of Mount Carmel convent in Bangui, talks about the attack perpetrated recently in the Central African Republic and answers questions from ACN ACN – What exactly happened? How many victims were...
