Asia

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  18 January 2016
  ASIA/HOLY LAND - New act of vandalism targets Dormition Abbey Jerusalem (Agenzia Fides) - Anti-Christian slogans were written on the doors and walls of the Dormition Abbey on Mount Zion. The new act of vandalism against the Benedictine monastery took place on Sunday, January 17, th ...
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  15 January 2016
  ASIA/TURKEY - "Nativity of the Shipwrecked" can still be visited in Istanbul Istanbul (Agenzia Fides) – The "Nativity of the Shipwrecked" can still be seen at the Conventual Franciscan church of St. Anthony till February 2. The church chose to set up the Nativity scene with characters wearing t ...
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  15 January 2016
  ASIA/SYRIA - Jihadists release other 16 Christian hostages of Khabur (including 8 children) Hassakè (Agenzia Fides) - The jihadists affiliated to the self-styled Islamic State (Daesh) released yesterday, 14 January, 16 other Assyrian Christians who were part of the large group of hostages that they captured an ...
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  15 January 2016
  ASIA/INDONESIA - After the massacres, Christians and Muslims together in the street against terrorism Jakarta (Agenzia Fides) - "We express deep condolences to the victims and condemn all forms of violence and terrorism. We pray and we work for the unity of Indonesia": says to Fides Fr. Alexius Andang Binawan, SJ, Vicar ...
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  14 January 2016
  ASIA/TURKEY - Religious minorities: salaries for the clergy are to be paid directly by the State Ankara (Agenzia Fides) - A request to pay salaries to religious minority communities directly by the State was made to Turkish Prime Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu. This was reported by Agos magazine, the bilingual newspaper ...
• 14 January 2016
  ASIA/SRI LANKA - Resignation of the Bishop of Mannar and appointment of the Apostolic Administrator Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - On 14 January 2016 the Holy Father accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Mannar (Sri Lanka), presented by His Exc. Mgr. Joseph Rayappu, in accordance with can. 4 ...
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  14 January 2016
  ASIA/PAKISTAN - Catholic Paul Bhatti hopes for the revocation of the blasphemy law Islamabad (Agenzia Fides) - The campaign for the abolition of the blasphemy law in Pakistan sees Catholic Paul Bhatti in the forefront, brother of Shahbaz Bhatti, Minister for Minorities killed on March 2, 2011, and form ...
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  14 January 2016
  ASIA/LEBANON - Patriarch Youhanna X: Orthodox Churches must safeguard unity, avoiding divisions Balamand (Agenzia Fides) - Orthodox Churches must safeguard unity, avoiding divisions and rifts. Only in this way the great pan-Orthodox Synod scheduled in 2016 will be a good opportunity to provide a united witness to t ...
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  14 January 2016
  ASIA/INDIA - Meeting street children is like meeting Christ Nagpur (Agenzia Fides) - Meeting, visiting, assisting street children means encountering Christ: this is what a group of young Catholics in Nagpur, a city in central India experienced when they went in search of street c ...
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  13 January 2016
  ASIA/SYRIA - Tensions between Kurds and Christians in the province of Hassake Qamishli (Agenzia Fides) - Tensions between Kurds and Christians increase in the Syrian region of northeastern Jiazira, where we find the cities of Qamishli and Hassaké and where large areas of land are in the hands of ...
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  13 January 2016
  ASIA/PHILIPPINES - Less trade, more spirituality in the Church Lingayen (Agenzia Fides) - The Church has to deal with spiritual and pastoral matters, and not give the idea of being a commercial enterprise: with this in mind the Catholic Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan, north of Mani ...
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  13 January 2016
  ASIA/JORDAN - Archbishop Lahham: in the Middle East torn by sectarianism, the mission of Christian schools is even more valuable Amman (Agenzia Fides) - In the historical life of the Churches in the Middle East, there has always been a valuable role carried out by Christian schools especially in the present scenario ravaged by sectarian conflict. ...
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  13 January 2016
  ASIA/INDIA - Dialogue between Vishnus and Christians Tirupati (Agenzia Fides) - In India there is need to bear witness to the power of prayer combined with action to build a community of peace and harmony: this is the result of the recent session of dialogue between Christ ...
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  12 January 2016
  ASIA/SYRIA - Kurdish militants attack a checkpoint controlled by Christian self-defense forces Qamishli (Agenzia Fides) - Kurdish militiamen of the YPG (Yekineyen Parastina Gel, protection popular units, linked to the PKK) yesterday attacked by surprise a checkpoint in the Governorate of Qamishli in northeastern S ...
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  12 January 2016
  ASIA/IRAQ - The Chaldean Patriarch: we offer the "fast of Nineveh" Baghdad (Agenzia Fides) - Chaldean Christians, in accordance with its liturgical tradition, are preparing to observe the so-called "fast of Nineveh" (Bautha of Ninwaye), preceding the three weeks of Lent. For three days, ...