IRAQ There are forces interested in destabilising the situation and expelling Christians SYRIAC-ORTHODOX Archbishop Mar Nicodemus Daoud Sharaf heads the Archeparchy of Mosul, Kirkuk and Syriac Orthodox Church. In this interview, conducted by Ragheb Elias Karash for the foundation Aid to the Church in Need (USA), he addresses the plight of Christians in northern...
Carrying on the work of Faith New senior appointment at Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) The new Executive President of the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), Thomas Heine-Geldern, said he intends to continue his predecessor’s approach –including trusting in God for the success of the charity’s work. The...
SYRIA Head of ACN’s Middle East projects talks about the suffering of Christians in East Ghouta and Damascus A Catholic priest spoke about the suffering of civilians in Syria, especially Christians, in the eastern part of Ghouta and in the city of Damascus because of the continuous bombings perpetrated by Muslim terrorists. Father Andrzej Halemba...
NIGERIA ‘Jihadist Crusade’ feared after 8 Christians were killed in latest attacks Local church leaders are worried that Islamist nomadic herdsmen may be about to launch another “jihadist crusade” involving “mass murder” of Christians after a recent spate of killings in unprovoked attacks on Christian communities in northern Nigeria. Two young Catholic fathers, both...
COLOMBIA New church in Medellin del Ariari commemorates victims of violence The Catholic faithful of Medellin del Ariari is eagerly looking forward to their new church. Thanks to the generosity of our benefactors, ACN was able to contribute 30,000 Euros towards this project, and now the new church is nearly finished. This parish in...
EGYPT “Help our faithful to stay” – Coptic Pope Tawadros II The head of the Coptic Orthodox Church has called on a Catholic charity to redouble its efforts to help Christians stay in the Middle East. Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II made the plea at a meeting with Neville Kyrke-Smith, national director of Aid...
JAPAN Museum on persecuted Christians opens in Japan’s oldest church A museum about persecuted Christians in Japan was opened on 1 April 2018 in a large Catholic church in Nagasaki, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is Japan’s oldest church. On an opening day, some tourists visiting the museum were surprised to...
UGANDA New shrine brings healing to region once known for witchcraft and crime “Don’t go there, they worship the devil there,” the people warned Bishop Francis Aquirinius Kibira. The region located in the southwestern part of Uganda at the border to the Democratic Republic of the Congo was considered a gloomy and dangerous place. Violence...
Pope and international community condemn gas attack on civilians in Douma Last Saturday, 42 people were killed and hundreds injured in what appears to have been a toxic gas attack on the besieged town of Douma on the outskirts of the capital Damascus. According to activist groups, helicopters dropped barrel bombs filled with toxic...
INDIA Two parishes attacked and shrines vandalised by Hindu extremists Two Catholic parishes in India were subjected to “premeditated and planned” attacks on the night of Easter Sunday. The incidents took place in the diocese of Rourkela, in the state of Orissa. The first attack occurred in the village of Bihabandh, where the parish...
