Resources
‘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).
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.
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".
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.
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.
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.
Egyptian Christian sentenced to five years in prison over contempt of Islam: NGO
Author: Thaer Mansour
Publication Date: 2/2/2022
Source: The New Arab
A Cairo court sentenced a Coptic Christian citizen this week to five years in prison over blasphemy, among other related charges, according to a statement released by the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) on Tuesday.
EIPR is a local prominent rights group that has been systematically targeted by Egyptian authorities.
Ancient Armenian church in Turkey's Diyarbakır to be renovated
Publication Date: 6/2/2022
Source: Daily Sabah
An ancient church belonging to Turkey's Armenian community in southeastern Diyarbakır province is expected to undergo restoration, officials told Anadolu Agency (AA).
The Surp Sargis Armenian Church, built in the 16th century in the Alipaşa neighborhood of Sur district, Diyarbakır province, has an area of 3,769 square meters (40569.18 square feet).
