The police denied permission for the Palm Sunday initiative that had been held for years, gathering thousands of faithful, for reasons of ‘public order’. The Catholic association protests in the metropolis where BJP nationalists have recently returned to government: ‘Other communities and political groups are allowed processions and gatherings: the authorities must guarantee respect for religious freedom and equality’.

Again this year the bishop who refuses to join the Patriotic Association was taken away on the eve of Holy Week. Already at Christmas he was subjected to serious retaliation for having celebrated the opening of the Jubilee in the diocese of Zhejiang, where the Beijing authorities have put a priest ‘loyal’ to the Party in leadership.

Brother Fadi Azar, a Franciscan from Jordan, has been a parish priest for five years in the coastal city, once an Assad stronghold. He talked to the Terrasanta online magazine about his fear that the civil war might start up again. In his testimony, he talks about the most tragic phases of the revolt repressed in blood, with thousands of deaths. Talks between Turkey and Israel are underway to avert an armed clash in Syria.

This is what emerges from a study by the Centre for Education and Dialogue, which denounces the increase in attacks by extremists and ultra-religious Jewish groups. The socio-political conditions and the low birth rate make the future of Christians in the country uncertain. The appeal for the ‘involvement’ of the Churches in the world. Hana Bendkowsky: ‘The attackers must be brought to justice’.

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders issued an appeal on behalf of the activist, who was jailed again a few months ago after serving four years in prison for her reports on the pandemic. Last November, she was indicted for “picking quarrels and provoking trouble.”

In a sacrilegious act, thieves desecrated the Eucharist in the Holy Family parish in Titilagarh. The Bishop of Sambalpur, Mons. Sualsingh: ‘Let us remain united and trust in the Lord even in this moment of trial’.

Abbas Soori, Mehran Shamloui and Narges Nasri, about halfway through her pregnancy, have been sentenced without extenuating circumstances. Among the charges: ‘activities contrary to Islamic law’, belonging to ‘opposition groups’ and ‘propaganda against the state’. In addition, additional penalties including fines, deprivation of civil rights and a ban on travelling abroad. Somayeh Rajabi released on bail of 40 thousand dollars.

After days of violence and more than a thousand dead, including some Christians, the al-Sharaa government has declared the operation against the Alawites on the west coast of the country over. Damascus also signed a merger agreement with the Kurds. For the archbishop of Homs, peace requires an international presence and the end of sanctions. So far, the authorities have not fulfilled their promises.

Scores of Christians – priests, mothers, children – were caught up in the violence triggered by a revolt that broke out in Assad's former stronghold. In a message, Syrian patriarchs bemoan the “dangerous escalation of violence, torture and murder” against “innocent civilians, including women and children”. Syria’s Islamist president makes a belated appeal for unity. Fr Jihad calls for “fasting and prayers” for peace.

The Public Security Bureau this morning arrested the underground bishop of Wenzhou (Zhejiang) after he refused to pay a 200,000 fine for celebrating Mass on 27 December before 200 people. Last week he wrote to the faithful asking them to attend Mass more often and pray the rosary for Pope Francis’s health.

Extremists target a facility built by a Catholic priest in Arcamanik claiming that it should be exclusively for social purposes, not religion. In fact, it has been used for some time for weekly services, although it is open to other activities. As the local Catholic community grows, so do its needs, which is why local Church leaders want the building to be officially designate as a place of worship.

The raid by plainclothes agents in the province of Mazandaran dates back to the beginning of the month but only came to light in recent days.

The authorities have imposed a 200,000 yuan fine on the prelate and threaten to demolish his "illegal” building for refusing to join official bodies and celebrating Mass with 200 worshippers. At Christmas he wrote to the faithful of the diocese inviting them to live the Jubilee of Hope in communion with the universal Church.

The report by Open Doors ranks the country among the top 50 in the world with the most cases of abuse, violence, targeted attacks and murders. The minority is the “most persecuted” and in the last year the phenomenon has increased. Protestant communities and historical groups such as Chaldeans, Armenians and Assyrians are in the crosshairs. The “Grey Wolves” in schools to convey clearly neo-Ottoman programmes.

After last November's knife attack on Fr Lee, Fr Cary Chan of the Holy Spirit Church was targeted this time. A 22-year-old young man with mental and physical problems attacked him and hit him in the face. The priest suffered a haematoma, but still wanted to celebrate Mass. The archdiocese: ‘Remain calm and refrain from speculation’.

Archbishop Girelli's visit among the communities that were victims in 2008 of the most serious violence against Christians in India's recent history. "Happy and moved to find myself here praying before the memorial of the martyrs. Witnesses of peace, harmony, faith and love'. A letter to Pope Francis to include Fr Bernard Digal among the martyrs of the 21st century.

A post-earthquake reconstruction project threatens to cause a radical demographic change. The area is located in Hatay province and is the only one left following the forced displacement of residents from the Musa Dagh region in 1915. New housing and shopping centres are planned. New government clampdown on opponents and critics, İmamoğlu also in the crosshairs.

Fr. Karakach reaches out to AsiaNews, sharing that the country still has ‘a long way to go’ to become a true ‘rule of law, stable and democratic state’. Among the positives are an open economy and conflict resolution with neighbours, concerns about ‘political freedom’ and an ‘Islamist’ matrix. Summary executions of at least 35 former Assad officials over the weekend.

A six-fold increase from 2023 amid a growing crackdown that has seen 96 worshippers sentenced. This is what emerges from a study published by activist groups and titled “The Tip of the Iceberg.” Because, in reality, violations of practise of worship are far more widespread than the published data. The role of services and the search for contacts or funds from abroad.

The Chapel of St Therese of the Child Jesus in the village of Chokragaon was set on fire, a few days after the ordination of two local priests. The authorities have opened an investigation. The bishop of Tezpur praises the "intense solidarity" and "unity" among Christians following the incident.

The attack in a settlement in the Bandarban area, south-eastern Bangladesh, while the inhabitants had gone to a Christmas celebration in a church in a nearby village. They had been victims of extortion demands in the past weeks. The incident is part of a long-standing pattern of oppression against the indigenous hill communities in the three hill districts.

The testimony to AsiaNews of Fr. Karakach, who speaks of a ‘very special’ celebration amid ‘reassurances’ from the new authorities and ‘massive security presence’. Compared to the past, there was no sign of celebrations on national TV. In some cities, ‘unpleasant’ episodes such as the burning of a Christmas tree, set up again with the help of Muslims. The Jubilee Year a source of courage.

The provincial of the Franciscans custodians of the Holy Sites speaks with AsiaNews about the festivities once again without pilgrims, whose return is ‘linked to the end of the conflict’. The focus is on events in neighbouring Syria, amid ‘suspended’ or ‘moderately positive’ judgements. The Custody ‘increasingly international’ with ‘about sixty’ countries present. The ‘debt’ of Western Christians with their brothers in the Holy Land.

Card. Sako speakes of Iraqi Christians' preparations for the festivities as they watch events unfold across teh border with trepidation. The threat of a new Isis, and teh need to be ‘prudent’ and evaluating ‘facts’ not speeches. they need for a Syrian state based ‘on citizenship’ and fight against ‘all sectarianism’. The Christmas wish for a document between the Pope and the Shiite leaders of Iran and Iraq on the example of ‘human brotherhood’.

A long report by Article18, CSW, Open Doors and Middle East Concern raises the issue. The future for migrants is uncertain with abuse and violence potentially waiting for them should they return to Iran. In 2023, 20 per cent of asylum seekers in Georgia came from Iran, 90 per cent fleeing after converting to Christianity.

Increasingly, to crush house churches, Protestant communities independent of government-controlled bodies, the authorities are turning to charges of financial wrongdoings over tithes. Christian pastors, lawyers and faithful issued an appeal on behalf of the Linfen community hit by arrests. In their view, giving one’s “money to serve God, supporting church needs and caring for the poor” does not violate any law.

In Damascus, threatening words against the Christian minority are spotted in a car. In Hama, someone using a Kalashnikov fired at the Greek Orthodox archbishopric. In a Christian village, a couple was killed during a "burglary" that ended with the man being beheaded. Source tells AsiaNews that Greek Orthodox are targeted because they are considered close to the Russians. Trappist nuns of A'zer note that in their area there is respect, but warn that releasing common criminals has created problems. Bishop Mourad: Beware of news on social media. 

 Aleppo's parish priests sits down with AsiaNews: in some cases women are asked to wear the veil or drivers to remove symbols such as the cross, but there are also examples of solidarity. And calls from Muslims to rebuild the nation ‘together’. The call for a ‘democratic and civil state’ in which all ‘citizens’ have equal ‘rights and duties’.

Originally from Shanghai, he passed away at the age of 91. He was imprisoned in the 1955 with other Catholics as well as five of his brothers. Their mother visited each in different prisons, bringing them support in the faith. Once he was freed, he resumed his novitiate with the Jesuits, and was ordained in 1994. Speaking to Mondo e Missione that year, he said: "There is joy and peace in my heart” because “I too know that I have done nothing against God or against my country”.

38-year-old Pranjal Bhuyan had simply prayed for some of his villagers. Introduced by the local government of the BJP nationalists to ‘protect health’ it is in fact a new tool to target Christians. The man hit by the measure had already come under fire on charges of ‘conversions’ for some free lessons he offered at home to children.

Yesterday the Pontiff accepted the prelate's request for resignation, appointing auxiliary Msgr Ilgit as apostolic administrator. Satisfaction for the growth of a reality ‘of Turkish language and culture’. The earthquake of February 2023 still an open wound, need to rebuild from ‘living stones’. The testimony of refugees and displaced persons who broaden horizons on a ‘cultural, spiritual’ level.

Card Zenari remembers the founder of Mar Musa on his seventieth birthday. The monastery remains his “most living” legacy. The tragedy of the missing is compounded by that of refugees and the displaced, the ongoing war, and last year’s devastating earthquake. Increasingly frequent, Israeli raids have cut links with Lebanon which are an “umbilical cord". Pope Francis’s proclamation of the martyrs of Damascus is a “breath of fresh air”.

Minahil, only six years old, was raped in the Asan School System by Muhammad Hassan, an employee of the institute. The man was arrested after the family's complaint, tests on the girl confirmed the abuse and DNA results are awaited. Christian and Muslim leaders have visited the victim and expressed their closeness to the parents.

Fr Christopher Lee was stabbed last night in St Joseph's Cathedral by a person with a history of drug offences. He underwent surgery and is recovering. “Violence has no place in the country,” said Prime Minister Wong. The diocese is asking Catholics to pray for a speedy recovery, while  Singapore’s Inter-Religious Organisation condemned the incident.

Since 13 October, at least five violent incidents have been reported in different parts of the country, most notably in Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh. Prayer services and buildings were targeted, a family was not allowed to bury a loved one in the village cemetery. The police are complicit with the attackers. For the archbishop of Bangalore, government silence is “baffling”.

Speaking to AsiaNews the cardinal-designate tells of a community that “is not a reality unto itself” but “shares difficulties and problems” with the rest of the population, which is “welcoming” but suffers “from sanctions.” In the cry of the poor, ecology, common home “the ground for dialogue” with Shiite Islam.

The Chaldean Patriarch speaks to AsiaNews of a “worrying” situation especially for the civilian population, which pays “the highest price.” Mediations stagnate and the “economics of war” continue to prevail, triggering on other elements of crisis, such as demographics and climate. The role of Shiite militias in the Iraqi scenario and the “scandal” that hit the Chaldean Church recently.

Msgr. Martinelli told AsiaNews that it is ‘urgent’ to relaunch the Church's ‘presence’ in the country tormented by conflict and violence. The testimony of the nuns, the work of Caritas and the local Christian reality. The Houthi missiles towards Israel, the neutrality of the Gulf and the fragile balance with Riyadh and Tehran. The Abrahamic House a model of encounter, confrontation and prayer.

AsiaNews met with Archbishop Mathieu on the sidelines of the Synod, a few hours before the announcement of his elevation to the rank of cardinal. The appointment shows the pope's "incessant desire" to "weave and strengthen bonds with all peoples." The Iranian people are "welcoming", not just " chadors and beards” as portrayed in the West.

Anooshavan Avedian, 62, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for leading a house church. An appeal court dropped the charges and ordered his release. Advocacy group is pleased about the turn of events but calls for the victim to be "compensated for all he has endured". At least 21 Christians are still in an Iranian prison because of their faith.

Three cases shake the conscience of the country and revive the issue of abuses linked to blasphemy rules. In Sindh, police kill a doctor investigated for blasphemous posts; a suspect is killed by an agent in Quetta, and his relatives forgive the murderer; a Christian woman is sentenced to death for messages on WhatsApp.

Viskhan Soltamatov allegedly masterminded the assault on the Franciscan church and supplied the group members with weapons. The arrest took place during a joint operation at the weekend. Up to 42 people are on trial, of whom at least 31 are already in custody. Turkish Christians the most persecuted minority in the country.

Those arrested include preacher Li Yingqiang and three other church members. The authorities have imposed 14-day administrative detention for the "troublemakers", but the measure is likely to turn into “criminal” charges without release. In Guangzhou, a 30-year-old Christian woman was arrested for developing a religiously themed music application.

On 20-21 November, a curfew will be imposed in all provinces to facilitate data collection. The last census occurred in 1997, while those that followed were postponed or cancelled due to violence and domestic conflicts. For Iraqi scholar, census data will inform policy making in a country shaped by sectarian and confessional divisions.

Investigative journalist Uzay Bulut pens an article published by the Gatestone Institute that looks at a narrative that turns “history on its head", one that denies that Armenians, Assyrians, and Greeks are indigenous in Anatolia. As Turkish children become adults, they parrot “the lies taught to them in their schools.”

At the center of criticism in the UN experts' report is the trial of about 100 members of the Christian minority. The proceedings allegedly failed to meet standards and showed summary charges, torture and mistreatment. Also in the crosshairs are the stages of the trial and the role of the media. No comment from the government.

Fr. Ibrahim Faltas warns, “The situation is dramatic” and there is “deep concern” about a future without Christians. In the crosshairs of settlers and the governing ultra-right a UNESCO heritage area near Bethlehem. Also in the West Bank an escalation of violence, destruction, arrests and deaths. Alice Kisiya's “emblematic” story. Already more than 70 Christian families have migrated since the beginning of the war.

On social media, Geng He appeals to the US government and the international community for news of her husband, a Christian lawyer and activist. She is not asking for his release, but wants to know about his fate. Five members of the Shengjia Church in Shunde are on trial on spurious charges of "illegal business operations", a generic term used to persecute believers.

Speaking to AsiaNews, Card Patrick D'Rozario appeals “for peace, calm and no revenge”. For the first time, student leaders join a caretaker government. There is uncertainty over the role the military will play in the period leading up to the election, expected over the next three months. Activists and analysts stress the importance of maintaining stability.

A new report by a UN fact-finding mission exposes the repression endured by Iran’s ethnic and religious minorities. In the Islamic Republic, persecution on gender grounds intersects with persecution on ethnic and religious grounds. Even children are victims of particularly serious violence. The hijab hides “gender apartheid”.

In early August 2014, the advance by the Islamic State sparked the great Christian flight from Mosul and the Nineveh Plain. This tragedy is still etched in the victims’ memory and only 60 per cent have returned to their lands. The Chaldean primate calls for a move away from "fear and despair" by stopping the conflicts that ravage the region.

In Shanxi, a court president illegally keeps three Protestant leaders in prison without trial. But the law can also be used to show that religious freedom conforms with the law, this according to Feng Xuewei, a legal expert who worked on China’s entry in the WTO.

Speaking to AsiaNews, the Custos of the Holy Land describes a surreal feeling, with something “looming" from Iran. Israel’s nationalist-religious leaders are fuelling the conflict, while Israeli civil society is unable to find a political response. Defending Christian-owned land and property is essential for the future.

Thongkham Philavanh, 40, was attacked in his home in the village of Vanghay. Rescued by his wife, he died on arrival in hospital. The murder of Pastor Sy Sengmany in 2022, a case that is still unsolved. A relative of Philavanh: ‘Groups of people do not like what he did’. 

In Madhya Pradesh a misunderstanding during a school lesson is exploited by Hindutva group to attack school run by the Sisters of Sain t Elizabeth. Bishop Athikalam slams the shameful violence against women who have been serving the community for 50 years, “working towards nation-building.”

In the first six months of the year, the Islamic State has already carried out 153 operations and is reportedly trying to ‘rebuild itself’. The jihadists' strength in acting and carrying out their objectives is worrying. The prime minister praises the ‘diversity’ represented by Christians, who are a ‘factor of stability’. The Chaldean Synod closes with an appeal for unity among Churches and belonging to the land.

For almost two months a priest, a Protestant bishop, and some principals have been in prison on charges of collecting exorbitant school fees. The increase was calculated on the first COVID-19 year, when prices had been reduced by order of local authorities. “We've done nothing in mala fide,” said Bishop Arasu speaking to AsiaNews. “We're willing even to approach the Supreme Court.”

Yesterday the prime minister received a delegation led by the president of the Bishops' Conference (Cbci). In the letter, besides the ritual congratulations for the new mandate, all the concerns for Christians from the attacks in Manipur to the quota issue. Among the topics also Pope Francis' visit to India.

A report by the Freedom of Belief Initiative shows the extent of the problem. After Christians come Jews, Alevis, Yazidis, and atheists. Especially targeted are cemeteries, places of worship, homes, and schools linked to religious groups. Anti-Jewish violence has escalated since Israel's war in Gaza.

Shrouded in mystery is the fate of 11 Christians, including six Protestants (Degar) and five Catholics from the Ha Mon community. They had been sentenced in the past, when their sentences expired 'there is no news' and 'they seem to have disappeared'. The basis of the sentence was 'religious activity or affiliation'. Concerns about these repressions persist in spite of openness towards the local Church and the Holy See.

An evangelical community that prayed in a private home battered and detained after Hindu extremists accused them of 'forced conversions'. In the district of Jabalpur, an investigation into book prices inflated by a publisher sent to prison only the leaders of the most renowned Christian schools, including a Protestant bishop and a Catholic priest.

A Punjab court issued a surreal verdict in connection with the brutal attack against a Christian neighbourhood in August 2023, handing down a death sentence against Ahsan Masih, a young man who, like thousands others, shared a post on a social media that was construed as “instigating” violence. By contrast, 135 people arrested for involvement in the incident have walked free. For Fr Khalid Rashid Asi, the sentence was issued under extremist pressure, but eventually “truth will win”.

A series of bombings and raids have hit the Dohuk governorate over the weekend. Miska and Rabatkeh were targeted, houses and places of worship were hit. Residents put out a fire triggered by the bombs, limiting the damage. The hashtag #Turkey_Occupies_Dohuk has gone viral.

An AsiaNews source recounts the life of Catholics. One million people, mostly economic migrants, celebrate their faith "in private". The bond with the universal Church and the hope of one day being able to gather and pray in a church. The Internet has strengthened community relations and facilitated attendance at services. A "long history" of "discreet" presence in the region.

The man was holidaying in the Swat Valley. Police arrested him on charges of burning pages of the Qur'ān, but a mob stormed the station and killed him. Activist accuses Pakistan of being "a barbarian state" while the authorities remain silent. For Naveed Walter, “No one is safe now.” In another case, the wife of Nazir Masih, another lynch mob victim, died from the traumatic experience. In Sialkot, a Christian man is on the run.

The blogger who spent four years in prison for reporting on the pandemic in Wuhan was threatened with arrest again a few days after her release. Three weeks ago, visibly distressed, she spoke about her faith behind bars in a Zoom meeting organised up by Chinese house churches, which are persecuted by the authorities.

On the anniversary of the Iraqi city's fall into the hands of the radical Islamist movement, Omar Mohammed - the blogger who chronicled its brutality - talks to AsiaNews about the importance of remembrance, the pope's visit in 2021 and the challenge of reconstruction based on ‘inclusion’. Chaldean Patriarch Sako: the memory of jihadist violence spurs the construction of a ‘civil and democratic’ state. 

The Protestant community, with more than 170 communities scattered throughout the country and 8,000 adherents, was in the crosshairs. For the judges, expelling or banning entry on the basis of intelligence reports does not constitute a violation of religious practice. A majority decision, opposed by the former president. In the meantime, there is renewed talk of a possible reopening of the Greek Orthodox seminary in Halki in the near future. 

The mob that attacked the victim on 25 May also set his home and business on fire. The rest of the family miraculously escaped. Doubts are being raised over the timing of his death, with some believing the government delayed the announcement to avoid international censure. Activists accuse the authorities of knowingly covering for the groups who use the law to kill indiscriminately.

Donor countries meet to discuss Syria, but the country's ‘forgotten war’ continues to provoke suffering and the flight of its population (about 500 a day). Speaking to AsiaNews, the apostolic nuncio in Damascus describes a ‘stagnant political process’ while ‘the only progress is in terms of poverty’. The exodus of Christians ‘another great wound that bleeds’. 

Designed by the Iranian-Armenian architect Markar Galstiants, the structure was one of the many hospitals and facilities founded by American Presbyterian missionaries at the start of the last century. Saved from demolition four years ago, it was described by city's heritage director as “valuable” and “historic”.

The raid took place on 19 May, Pentecost Sunday. Two men on a motorbike threw a grenade during the service. Marybel Atis, 40, and Rosita Tubilo, 65, were hit by the shrapnel, sustaining several injuries. Card. Quevedo: 'dastardly' attack and 'sacrilegious act'. Appeal to the authorities for justice to be done.

The building is accessible to the public and the faithful after the official inauguration ceremony. The former Christian place of worship was converted by presidential decree in August 2020. President Erdogan extols the thousands of 'ancestral heritage sites' to which he would 'breathe new life', but makes no mention of its origin as a basilica. 

The German-born Benedictine who leads the Dormition Monastery stigmatises the ‘fanatical’ attitude while ‘people are suffering, dying’. The opposing front seen as ‘monster’ or ‘animal’ to justify the violence. The rise to power of the ultra-right Ben-Gvir government has led to an escalation in anti-Christian attacks in the Old City. Like Jesus prayer and forgiveness in response to hatred, the way to reconciliation.

Reconstruction work lasted over a year. The entire Christian community, from Greek Melkites to the Evangelicals, gathered for a day of celebration. The service was led by Primate Youssef Absi. Caught between warrying Armenians and Azerbaijanis, the historic church of St John the Baptist in Shushi has been destroyed.

The Christian lawyer turned 60 on 20 April, but Chinese authorities have refused to provide any information about his fate. Repeated appeals from his wife, human rights NGOs, and UN agencies have been ignored. He is among the many victims of enforced disappearances by China’s communist regime.