Newsfeed
Is the Church dying in the Middle East?
Publication Date: 23/2/2022
Source: The Jerusalem Post
It seems as if the generally accepted view of the church is that it’s dying in the Middle East. But that’s simply not true.
The church is growing faster now than ever before in the Middle East.
Dialogue is best antidote to extremism, pope tells Iraqi Christian leaders
Author: Cindy Wooden
Publication Date: 28/2/2022
Source: Crux
Christians have a right to remain in Iraq and the obligation to contribute to the country’s growth and recovery, which will require collaboration among the churches and a commitment to interreligious dialogue, Pope Francis said.
A group of Iraqi Christian leaders came to the Vatican Feb. 28 to mark the first anniversary of Pope Francis’s visit to their nation.
Jerusalem churches fight new settlement plan
Author: Taghreed Ali
Publication Date: 11/3/2022
Source: Al-Monitor
Church heads and officials in Jerusalem are fighting an Israeli plan to expand a national park on the Mount of Olives in east Jerusalem, where dozens of churches and Christian sites are located.
Sadrist committee returns over 120 properties to Iraqi Christians
Publication Date: 23/2/2022
Source: Asia News
In little more than a year more than 120 properties and buildings originally belonging to Christians and Sabeans, previously expropriated by force or deception by mafias or local gangs, have returned to the hands or under the control of their legitimate owners, according to the Committee for the Restitution of Christian and Sabaean Property, which, in collaboration with the Mahdi Army [the former Saraya al-Salam Peace Brigades, ed], both under the orders of the Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr, supervised the restitution process. The property was returned to Christians "after the completion of the review of the documents that proved permission" and the subsequent expropriation by gangs or groups linked to the "land mafia".
Iraq: Rebuilding churches as symbols of hope
Author: Judit Neurink
Publication Date: 9/3/2022
Source: Deutsche Welle
Amid the rubble in the graveyard of the St. George Monastery in Mosul, a freshly painted white grave with a small red cross has become a sign of hope and perseverance.
First stone of the future cathedral of the Assyrian Church of the East laid in Erbil
Publication Date: 24/2/2022
Source: Asia News
The Assyrian cathedral dedicated to the Holy Apostles Mar Thomas, Mar Addai and Mar Mari will rise near the citadel. Construction was put on hold for the past 10 years, but now the community is back in “its land” after a long exile. Yesterday also marked the 7th anniversary of an attack by the Islamic State against Assyrian Christians in the Khabour plain in which scores of Christians were killed and their places of worship were devastated.
Maria, 20, killed in Erbil by relatives for converting to Christianity
Publication Date: 9/3/2022
Source: Asia News
International Women's Day in Iraqi Kurdistan was marked by reports of the murder last Sunday of a 20-year-old woman by a family member. Her only fault, if it can be called that, was her conversion from Islam to Christianity and the decision to use a new name: Maria.
The United Arab Emirates is restoring Christian life in the Persian Gulf
Author: Knox Thames
Publication Date: 11/2/2022
Source: Religion News Service
The United Arab Emirates has received much attention of late for normalizing relations with Israel. The establishment of embassies and warm visits by the countries’ heads of state have helped Jewish life blossom in the UAE like never before.
Last year, construction began in Abu Dhabi on the first official synagogue in the Emirates, part of a larger state-funded project to build a mosque, church and temple in the same complex to represent the three Abrahamic faiths.
‘Pope Francis Scholarships’ Help Students In Iraq
Publication Date: 24/2/2022
Source: Exaudi
Less than one year after the Pope’s historic visit to Iraq, and despite difficulties posed by the pandemic, the first cohort of students have started to benefit from the “Pope Francis Scholarships”, funded by pontifical charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN).
Archbishop Peña Parra wraps up UAE trip to open Nunciature
Publication Date: 9/2/2022
Source: Vatican News
Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra has returned to the Vatican at the end of an intense 5-day visit to the UAE, accompanied by Msgr. Yoannis Lahzi Gaid, a Member of the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity and former personal secretary of Pope Francis.
