Asia

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  24 August 2024
  ASIA/INDONESIA - State and religion in Indonesia: the role of faith in public life Jakarta (Fides News Agency) – Indonesia is not a theocracy but it is a secular state either: as Indonesians like to say, it is "a middle ground", a nation that recognizes religion has a crucial role in public life, an ...
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  24 August 2024
  ASIA/INDONESIA - "Differences in the relationship with God are not cause for struggle: this is what we teach in schools". Interview with the Minister for Religious Affairs by Paolo Affatato Jakarta (Fides News Agency) - A painting occupies an entire wall in the office of the Minister of Religious Affairs, in the Ministry building, in the center of Jakarta. The large canvas depicts the f ...
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  23 August 2024
  ASIA/INDONESIA - Waiting for Pope Francis, along with the Muslim brothers. An interview with Ignazio Suharyo, Cardinal of Jakarta (I/II) by Paolo Affatato Jakarta (Fides News Agency) – Every year, on the Islamic feast of the Sacrifice, the Catholic community of Jakarta gifts the Muslim community a cow. And the imam of the great mosque advises everyon ...
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  22 August 2024
  ASIA/INDONESIA - Following Jesus in the Land of "Pancasila". An interview with Cardinal of Jakarta Ignazio Suharyo (I/II) by Paolo Affatato Jakarta (Fides News Agency) – Entering the Jakarta cathedral complex - named after Our Lady of the Assumption - is a display with the image of Pope Francis counting down, telling the faithful how m ...
• 15 August 2024
  ASIA/INDIA - Appointment of the Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Kannur Vatican City (Fides News Agency) - The Holy Father has appointed the Rev. Msgr. Dennis Kuruppassery, of the clergy of Kottapuram - hitherto Nunciature Counselor in service at the Pontifical Representation in Malta - as A ...
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  14 August 2024
  ASIA/HOLY LAND - At the site of Mary's Assumption, where Christians and Muslims pray by Fabio Beretta Jerusalem (Fides News Agency) – For Christians, the date of August 15th is not a feast like the others. In fact, it celebrates the Assumption of Mary into Heaven, one of the four Marian dogmas of th ...
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  14 August 2024
  ASIA/HOLY LAND - Father Patton: "Negotiations resuming on Assumption Day a sign of hope, let us pray for peace" Jerusalem (Fides News Agency) – "Resuming talks for a ceasefire in Gaza, the release of hostages and political prisoners on the day we celebrate the assumption of Mary into Heaven in body and soul, is a sure sign of ho ...
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  13 August 2024
  ASIA/LEBANON - Lebanon on the brink of the abyss by Father Gabriel Hachem* Beirut (Fides News Agency) - Since the outbreak of civil war in 1975, Lebanon, a small Middle Eastern country, has not known peace or stability. The population, including Christians, have res ...
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  12 August 2024
  ASIA/SOUTH KOREA - Seoul celebrates the Assumption and its 79 years of independence, Archbishop Chung Soon-taek: "Listening promotes unity" Seoul (Fides News Agency) – "Listening promotes unity, and those who experience such healing from division embark on strengthened paths of faith". This is the heart of the message that the Archbishop of Seoul, Peter So ...
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  12 August 2024
  ASIA/IRAN Middle East, Holy See concerned: Parolin calls the President of Iran War in the Middle East, Parolin-Pezeshkian phone call Vatican City (Fides News Agency) - The war in the Middle East is likely to expand more and more. Faced with this bleak scenario, papal diplomacy comes out into the open, taking new steps to avoid escalation. In the after ...
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  12 August 2024
  ASIA/BANGLADESH - Sheikh Hasina's ouster seen in India as a grave blow to New Delhi's positions in the area Dhaka (Fides News Agency) - The ouster of Sheikh Hasina Wazed, the former Prime Minister who led Bangladesh for 15 years, is having important geopolitical repercussions in the region. An initial interpretation seems to i ...
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  9 August 2024
  VATICAN - The Pope's caress to Chinese Catholics: "I would like to meet with local bishops and the people of God who are so faithful" Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - A people of "great faith" who are also "teachers of hope", is the caress that Pope Francis sends to all Chinese people, renewing his desire to make an Apostolic Journey to the Asian country ...
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  8 August 2024
  ASIA/BANGLADESH - "It is to be hoped that public order will be restored after the incidents that have affected mainly Hindus and Christians" Dhaka (Agenzia Fides) - "We are waiting for the new government led by Muhammad Yunus" an source from the local Church in Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh, told Fides. Muhammad Yunus, 84, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 ...
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  7 August 2024
  ASIA/QATAR - Syro-Malabar Community celebrates 25 years of existence under the sign of its "missionary character" Doha (Agenzia Fides) - The Catholic community of Qatar is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Syro-Malabar Community of St. Thomas in Doha with numerous activities. On July 3, the feast of St. Thomas, a procession of ...
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  7 August 2024
  ASIA/AFGHANISTAN - Pope Francis: "One cannot invoke God’s name to foment contempt, hatred and violence towards others" Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - "One cannot invoke God’s name to foment contempt, hatred and violence towards others," said Pope Francis this morning before the General Audience in the Audience Hall during a meeting wit ...