News from the Orient – May 17, 2024
Vatican news
In this week's news from the Churches of the Orient, produced in collaboration with L'Œuvre d'Orient, the Armenian faithful organize four days of demonstrations, Lebanon celebrates the feast of Saint Charbel and three monks found a new monastery in Iraq .
This week's Oriental News:
Demonstrations in Armenia
Several streets in Yerevan have been blocked since the morning of Monday, May 13, at the request of Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
He is also a leader of the “Tavush for the Homeland” movement and is protesting against the Armenian government's decision to allow Azerbaijan to retake possession of four villages in Tavush, in the northeast of the country.
Archbishop Galstanyan led a four-day protest march from Tavush to Yerevan, before calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
Several thousand people participated in the week's rallies and more than 150 demonstrators were arrested by the police.
196th birthday of Saint Charbel
On Thursday, May 8, Lebanon celebrated the 196th anniversary of the birth of Saint Charbel, patron saint of Lebanon.
He dedicated his life to God through renunciation and prayer. Saint Charbel is considered one of the most miraculous saints in the history of Christianity. Its influence extends from Lebanon to the East and throughout the world.
Several processions took place to celebrate his feast day, including one with a replica of his tomb, made with the same wood as his original tomb.
New monastery in Karamless
On Wednesday, May 15, three brothers of the Holy Cross took up residence in the Church of Saint Mary in Karamless, Iraq.
Most Reverend Najeeb, Chaldean Archbishop of Mosul and Akre, celebrated Mass to mark the occasion. He then blessed the new monastery where the brothers will now reside.
The three monks will spend half of each week at the monastery, praying and working with wood, and the other half visiting villagers in the diocese.
Also present at the celebration was the female branch of the congregation, the Sisters of Jesus Crucified, who have two sisters at the Saint Barbara Shrine in Karamless and two in Basra.
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