Vatican news In the Erbil suburb of Ankawa, Catholic, Orthodox and Assyrian Christians are jointly preparing for celebrations of the Feast of the Cross on September 14, as communities rebuild their lives together after the violence in Iraq. By Federico Piana A historic moment in Erbil, northern Iraq. In Ankawa, a suburb of the capital…
Vatican news The Chaldean Patriarch of Baghdad issues a message on the 10th anniversary of the Islamic State’s takeover of Iraq, calling on Christian, Muslim and Jewish leaders to unite their voices against the extremism and hatred fueling the ongoing wars in the Middle East. By Lisa Zengarini As Iraq marks the 10th anniversary of…
Vatican news The Jerusalem-based Rossing Interfaith Center releases its annual report on “Attacks Against Christians in Israel and East Jerusalem,” revealing a worrying increase in attacks and instances of intolerance against churches and their members by Jewish extremists. By Lisa Zengarini Christians in the Holy Land are facing increasing attacks and acts of intolerance from…
Vatican news At the end of their annual synod in Baghdad, Iraqi bishops expressed their deep concern about the impact of the war in Gaza on the entire region and reaffirmed the two-state solution as the only path to lasting peace. By Lisa Zengarini As the war in Gaza threatens to spread further and engulf…
Vatican news The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Pakistan joins other Christians in welcoming the final approval of a new law that raises the age of marriage to 18 to protect Christian minors from forced marriages. By Lisa Zengarini Christian leaders in Pakistan have welcomed the final passage of a new law that raises the minimum…
Vatican news Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) expresses solidarity with Christians protesting in Pakistan following the latest mob attack on a Christian family accused of blasphemy against the Quran in Sargodha, Punjab. By Lisa Zengarini Christians in Pakistan have taken to the streets of the Muslim-majority country following a new mob attack over…
Vatican news Pope Francis greets a delegation from the Hong Kong Christian Council and prays for Christian unity with members of the delegation. By Linda Bordoni Pope Francis received a delegation from the Hong Kong Christian Council on Wednesday and reflected on how, as Christians, we are called to move forward together on the path…
The Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue announces the holding of the third Christian-Taoist dialogue in Hong Kong from March 11 to 13. By Vatican News Christians and Taoists are expected to meet in Hong Kong next week to continue dialogue between the two religious traditions. According to a press release from the Vatican Dicastery for Interreligious…
Vatican news Three years after Pope Francis' apostolic trip to Iraq, Chaldean Archbishop Michael Najeeb of Mosul and Aqra tells Vatican News that the fruits of the historic visit are slowly beginning to manifest, despite ongoing difficulties for Christians. By Jean Charles Putzolu and Lisa Zengarini On March 5, 2021, Pope Francis began his historic…