Asia

• 7 November 2014
  ASIA/NORTH KOREA - An American arrested for a Bible has been released Seoul (Agenzia Fides) - The US citizen Jeffrey Fowle is back home in the United States, after being held in North Korea for six months for leaving a copy of the Bible in a bar. "I had heard about the severe persecution o ...
• 7 November 2014
  ASIA/IRAQ - The furniture of Christian homes put up for sale in the markets of Mosul Mosul (Agenzia Fides) - In the markets of Mosul entire areas are now occupied by the furniture and the tools looted in the houses abandoned by the Christians. The looted goods are put on sale at bargain prices. This is r ...
• 6 November 2014
  ASIA/INDONESIA - The Bishops: "A Church which 'goes forth' to meet the man of our time" Jakarta (Agenzia Fides) - "A Church in communion with God and proclaims the Good News; a Church that goes forth to meet people, to give love and happiness, peace and justice, unity and brotherhood; a Church which is sens ...
• 6 November 2014
  ASIA/PAKISTAN - The Justice and Peace Commission: "The government has failed in protecting its citizens" Lahore (Agenzia Fides) - "The Pakistani government has failed in protecting the right to life of its citizens". This was reported in a statement from the "Justice and Peace" Commission of the Catholic Bishops of Pakistan ...
• 6 November 2014
  ASIA/HOLY LAND - Two future Saints for the Holy Land Jerusalem (Agenzia Fides) - The Catholic Church in the Holy Land is preparing for the upcoming canonization of two Blessed: Blessed Mariam Bawardi, known as Mary of Jesus Crucified, and Blessed Maria Alphonsina Ghattas. ...
• 6 November 2014
  ASIA/IRAQ - The Chaldean diocese of Erbil conducts a census of the refugees who fled from the Nineveh Plain Erbil (Agenzia Fides) - There are more than 10 thousand Christian families who fled Mosul and the cities of the Nineveh Plain who have found refuge in the suburbs of Erbil and in other parts of Iraqi Kurdistan. Some stat ...
• 5 November 2014
  ASIA/PAKISTAN - Married couple burned alive: Christians protest in Lahore and call for the UN to intervene Lahore (Agenzia Fides) - "We are shocked and worried. Christians in Pakistan are now wondering: what country do we live in? The horrible and barbaric execution of a Christian couple, accused of blasphemy, is an act that ...
• 5 November 2014
  ASIA/CHINA - After years of waiting, the small community of Lai Gang has its own chapel Beijing (Agenzia Fides) - Enthusiasm marked the celebration of Mass on All Saints day, November 1, and All Souls' Day, in the small community of Lai Gang. In fact, after years of absence of priests and lack of a place to ...
• 5 November 2014
  ASIA/PAKISTAN – Amnesty: it is necessary to do justice and reform the blasphemy law Lahore (Agenzia Fides) - "The Pakistani authorities must bring to justice those responsible for the killing of the Christian couple accused of blasphemy". This is what Amnesty International says in a note sent to Agenzia ...
• 5 November 2014
  ASIA/PAKISTAN - The Ulema Council calls for "an impartial investigation" into the events in Kasur Lahore (Agenzia Fides) - The Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) calls for "an impartial investigation on what happened in Kot Radha Kishan in Kasur district, where a Christian couple was burnt alive" (see Fides 04/11/2014): th ...
• 4 November 2014
  ASIA/PAKISTAN - The Christian Sawan Masih, on death row for blasphemy, prays and remains hopeful Lahore (Agenzia Fides) - Sawan Masih, a Christian sentenced to death for blasphemy, who since 2014 has been on death row in the prison of Faisalabad, remains confident about his release: this is what the Christian Joseph ...
• 4 November 2014
  ASIA/INDIA - The Bishops: "With silence, the government becomes an accomplice in the attacks on minorities" New Delhi (Agenzia Fides) - "The new government of nationalist leader Narendra Modi is not openly against minorities, but we are sad and worried about what is happening in India: The government says and does nothing to s ...
• 4 November 2014
  ASIA/IRAQ - The Church of St. Ephrem in Mosul could soon be transformed into a mosque Mosul (Agenzia Fides) - In the northeastern city of Mosul, Iraq, since June in the hands of the jihadists of the Islamic State (IS), the Syrian Orthodox church dedicated to St. Ephrem has been emptied and there are rumor ...
• 4 November 2014
  ASIA/TURKEY - Christian schools subsidized by the State increase Ankara (Agenzia Fides) - There are 55 schools belonging to foundations and institutions related to the Christian communities in Turkey already entitled to receive financial support from the State. Of these, 36 belong to ...
• 4 November 2014
  ASIA/PAKISTAN - Two Christians burned alive in a brick-kiln on charges of blasphemy Lahore (Agenzia Fides) - A Christian couple, Shahzad 26 years old and Shama 24 years old, were burned to death by a Muslim mob, from five villages in the south of Lahore (Punjab province), who accused them of committing ...