Asia

• 9 January 2014
  ASIA/IRAQ - Ayatollah al-Sistani: the violence against Christians are a threat to the whole country Najaf (Agenzia Fides) - Violence that affect Christians in Iraq represent a loss for the entire country. This is the conviction expressed by Ayatollah Ali al-Husayni al-Sistani, during a meeting on Wednesday, January 8th ...
• 8 January 2014
  ASIA/PHILIPPINES - An Interfaith Council established by the Commune of Zamboanga City Zamboanga city (Agenzia Fides) - The City Council of Zamboanga City, a city on the island of Mindanao, has approved an ordinance that establishes a special "Interfaith Council of the city". The ordinance creates the new ...
• 8 January 2014
  ASIA/BANGLADESH - The Archbishop of Dhaka: "Messengers of hope among violence and social confusion" Dhaka (Agenzia Fides) - The small minority of Bengali Christians "brings a message of hope among violence and confusion": is what the Archbishop of Dhaka, Msg. Patrick D' Rozario says in an interview with Fides Agency, d ...
• 8 January 2014
  ASIA/SYRIA - Archbishop Hindo: may Geneva 2 not turn Syria into an Islamist State Hassaké (Agenzia Fides) - The Christians of Syria, "hope that the Geneva 2 Conference opens prospects for democracy, freedom and equality for Syria". This is the reason why I am opposed to any Islamist drift that claims ...
• 7 January 2014
  ASIA/SRI LANKA - The Bishop of Mannar calls for an international investigation into war crimes in Sri Lanka Mannar (Agenzia Fides) - "We urgently need an international investigation to ascertain the truth about alleged war crimes, given that most of the Tamils in the north and east of the country no longer have confidence in a ...
• 7 January 2014
  ASIA/KAZAKHSTAN - Christians were fined for possession of "extremist books" Astana (Agenzia Fides) - A court in Astana has fined two Protestant Christians for possession of Christian publications, defined as "extremist material". As reported in a note sent to Fides by the organization "Forum 1 ...
• 7 January 2014
  ASIA/SYRIA - Battle between Islamist factions in Raqqa Raqqa (Agenzia Fides) - The clash between the different Islamist factions that oppose the Assad regime has become open war in Raqqa, the city where the Italian Jesuit Paolo Dall'Oglio was abducted five months ago. In rec ...
• 7 January 2014
  ASIA/CHINA - Pope Francis elected among the ten "key men of the year 2013" Beijing (Agenzia Fides ) - Pope Francis was elected in the group of the ten "key men of the year 2013" by 50 representatives of the media, journalistic and diplomatic associations, among the most important of mainland Ch ...
• 4 January 2014
  ASIA/PAKISTAN - New plan of evangelization with mass media dedicated to the "protection of life" Lahore (Agenzia Fides) - In the new year the Church in Pakistan reintroduces evangelization with mass media, with a plan that will focus on the theme of "protection of life": this was reported to Fides by Fr. Nadeem John ...
• 4 January 2014
  ASIA/MYANMAR - The Archbishop of Yangon: a road map of peace and fraternity for the country in 2014 Yangon (Agenzia Fides) - Peace, fraternity, democracy in Myanmar are "a common hope for all citizens": at the beginning of a new year, "Myanmar is preparing the beginning of a new era, made of freedom, justice and peace" ...
• 4 January 2014
  ASIA/SYRIA - The Chaldean Bishop of Aleppo: "At the Geneva 2 one has to take cognizance of the fact that Syria is not Libya" Aleppo (Agenzia Fides) - "The participants at the Geneva 2 Conference will have to start respecting the characteristics of their Syrian Country". This is how the Bishop of Aleppo of the Chaldean, Antoine Audo describes ...
• 4 January 2014
  ASIA/INDONESIA - Christian politicians: "Remove one's religious belief from identity cards" Jakarta (Agenzia Fides) - It is time to remove one’s religious belief from identity cards: is the proposal made by Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, a Christian politician who has the important role of leutenant governor of the ...
• 3 January 2014
  ASIA/INDONESIA - To eradicate terrorism, we need a national plan of "de-radicalization" Jakarta (Agenzia Fides) - The radical Islamic terrorist groups in Indonesia are weaker than in the past, but they are still dangerous. To eradicate them what is needed is, on the one hand, coordinated effort on behalf of ...
• 3 January 2014
  ASIA/LEBANON - The Maronite Church is against the formation of a fait accompli government and the postponement of presidential elections Beirut (Agenzia Fides) - The highest representatives of the Maronite Church are opposed to the formation of a fait accompli government that does not represent the balance of political forces operating in the Country of t ...
• 2 January 2014
  ASIA/IRAQ - Patriarch Sako appeals for national harmony Baghdad (Agenzia Fides) - "We appeal to all parties in the nation, in these precise circumstances, to work for calm and invoking the language of dialogue, understanding, moderation and putting the interest of the nation ...