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Photo: Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I embrace.
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Lahore (Agenzia Fides) – To condemn vitiated inquiry, torture and inhumane treatment against young Christians Patras Masih and Sajid Masih; ask for concrete measures to stop the abuse of the blasphemy law, especially against religious minorities: these are the central themes of the protest organized yesterday, March 2, in Lahore by the "Pakistan Christian Action Committee" (PCAC), a body that collects and represents different Churches in Pakistan. As Fides learns, groups that promote human rights and civil society organizations joined the protest. Christian leaders such as Protestant Bishops Azad Marshall and Irfan Jamil were present; Fr. Qasir Feroz, in charge of the Communication Office for Catholic Bishops; Rev. Amjad Niamat of the Presbyterian Church and other leaders: all agreed to invite the government to control the violation of human rights and the Constitution of Pakistan.
The protesters are asking to set up an investigative team to look into the case of Patras Masih, the boy arrested for alleged blasphemy in the Shahdara neighborhood of Lahore, and to ascertain responsibility for the torture carried out by the police during interrogation. They asked to withdraw the charges against Sajid Masih and to investigate the sexual abuse that the police wanted to impose on the two young Christians during the interrogations (see Fides 20/2/2018 and 26/2/2018).
Lahore (Agenzia Fides) – To condemn vitiated inquiry, torture and inhumane treatment against young Christians Patras Masih and Sajid Masih; ask for concrete measures to stop the abuse of the blasphemy law, especially against religious minorities: these are the central themes of the protest organized yesterday, March 2, in Lahore by the "Pakistan Christian Action Committee" (PCAC), a body that collects and represents different Churches in Pakistan. As Fides learns, groups that promote human rights and civil society organizations joined the protest. Christian leaders such as Protestant Bishops Azad Marshall and Irfan Jamil were present; Fr. Qasir Feroz, in charge of the Communication Office for Catholic Bishops; Rev. Amjad Niamat of the Presbyterian Church and other leaders: all agreed to invite the government to control the violation of human rights and the Constitution of Pakistan.
The protesters are asking to set up an investigative team to look into the case of Patras Masih, the boy arrested for alleged blasphemy in the Shahdara neighborhood of Lahore, and to ascertain responsibility for the torture carried out by the police during interrogation. They asked to withdraw the charges against Sajid Masih and to investigate the sexual abuse that the police wanted to impose on the two young Christians during the interrogations (see Fides 20/2/2018 and 26/2/2018).
"The civil administration and police of Lahore - says a document issued by the PCAC at the end of the protest - should ensure the security of the Christian population, particularly in the area of Shahdara, so that all displaced families can return to their homes". In fact, Christians had fled from their homes, fearing mass violence. "It is urgent to take concrete measures to stop the abuse of the blasphemy law, especially against religious minorities. The government of Punjab should work actively to instill inter-religious peace and harmony within the national action plan", said the statement sent to Agenzia Fides. The document recalls the sentence issued by the Supreme Court of Pakistan concerning the protection of religious minorities on 19 June 2014, requesting its implementation "in the letter and in the spirit". The "Pakistan Christian Action Committee" will prepare a report and submit it to Parliament and the Commission on Human Rights. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 3/3/2018)
"The civil administration and police of Lahore - says a document issued by the PCAC at the end of the protest - should ensure the security of the Christian population, particularly in the area of Shahdara, so that all displaced families can return to their homes". In fact, Christians had fled from their homes, fearing mass violence. "It is urgent to take concrete measures to stop the abuse of the blasphemy law, especially against religious minorities. The government of Punjab should work actively to instill inter-religious peace and harmony within the national action plan", said the statement sent to Agenzia Fides. The document recalls the sentence issued by the Supreme Court of Pakistan concerning the protection of religious minorities on 19 June 2014, requesting its implementation "in the letter and in the spirit". The "Pakistan Christian Action Committee" will prepare a report and submit it to Parliament and the Commission on Human Rights. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 3/3/2018)
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Baghdad (Agenzia Fides) - Heads of religious communities in Iraq will ask the Iraqi parliament to pass a law to punish forms of religious propaganda that instigate hatred and violence. This is what was reported by the Patriarchate of Babylon of the Chaldeans, spreading the report of a singular meeting among Iraqi religious leaders, gathered at the invitation of the Chaldean Patriarch Louis Raphael Sako at the church of St. Joseph, in the district of Karrada, on Thursday 1 March. The meeting was attended by about thirty religious representatives – Shi’a and Sunni Muslims, Christians, Sabeans and Yazidis - and by the heads of political offices in charge of the various religious communities, together with Archbishop Alberto Ortega Martín, Apostolic Nuncio in Iraq. During the meeting - according to official sources of the Chaldean Patriarchate, consulted by Agenzia Fides - the proposal to organize similar meetings in other cities of the country was also taken, such as Najaf, and to establish a permanent council that would periodically meet scholars and senior representatives of the different religious communities. What was highlighted and discussed was the proposal to monitor religious preaching in places of worship and to examine with greater care the courses given in religious education centers, always with the aim of contrasting the seed of fanaticism,. "On the Judgment Day", among other things, said Patriarch Louis Raphael, in his opening speech, "we will not be asked, whether we are Shi'a Muslim or a Sunni? Christian Catholic or Orthodox, Mandae, or Yazidi? But rather the question of God would be, what did you do for your brother? and what have you offered to your people?". (GV) (Agenzia Fides, 2/3/2018)
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GENEVA (voanews.com) — United Nations aid agencies are gearing up for the first delivery in months of desperately needed humanitarian assistance to thousands of people trapped in the besieged Syrian enclave of Eastern Ghouta. Syrian authorities finally have given permission for the U.N. convoy to enter the enclave’s town of Douma on Sunday.
The convoy will be carrying food, medicine and other crucial relief supplies from a number of U.N. and international agencies for 180,000 people. The U.N. Children’s fund, which is part of that convoy, will have supplies on board for 70,000 children.
Geert Cappelaere, UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, says nutritional and health supplies are a priority given the alarmingly high number of malnourished children in Eastern Ghouta.
Continue Reading: https://www.voanews.com/a/syria-eastern-ghouta-humanitarian-aid/4278816.html
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A request for a recognition of patriarchal status recently came from Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, who addressed it in a speech delivered Feb. 9 for the 125th anniversary of the birth of Cardinal Josip Sliyi.
The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church is a church sui iuris, which means it is an autonomous Church with its specific rite, but in communion with Rome and subject to the governance of the Pope.
Usually, Churches sui iuris are established as patriarchates. This means that they are led by a patriarch, elected by their synod, or leadership council of bishops. The Pope is informed of the election of the Patriarch, after which he grants ecclesiastical communio to the Patriarch.
The Greek Ukrainian Catholic Church is instead a major archepiscopate. This means that, after the synod elects the major archbishop, the Pope must confirm the election to make it valid.
Cardinal Slipyi was the first head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church to be denoted a Major Archbishop.
The situation was well explained in a speech by Archbishop Cyril Vasil, secretary of the Congregation for the Eastern Churches.
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www.churchinneed.org - WITH MEDIA focused on the Syrian regime, aided by Russian planes, killing some 250 people in a rebel-held suburb of Damascus, rebel attacks on the Syrian capital’s Christian neighborhoods go largely unreported. According to a report by Caritas Internationalis, the situation there is critical, as Christian suburbs have been hit by mortar attacks since late January 2018.
Christians are under siege throughout the Middle East and Aid to the Church in Need works to protect them, including in Damascus
“More than 200 mortar shells have hit Damascus’ eastern neighborhoods, causing more than 28 killed and 90 injured,” Caritas has reported. Attacks are ongoing at this writing. Official figures hold that more than 42 people have been seriously injured and that a dozen people have been killed. The actual numbers may be much higher.
Several of the mortars hit very close to the convent that is home to Sister Annie Demerjian. She told us that she and the other residents of the convent narrowly escaped death when a mortar fell but “thanks be to God did not explode.” Otherwise, she and several of the University students, Sister Annie said, “would have been injured or killed.” Sister Annie, who belongs to the congregation of Jesus and Mary, said: “Yesterday [Feb. 21, 2018] was like hell. It was raining bombs. There were so many people injured.”
Caritas reported on a Feb. 8, 2018 attach during which “some 70 mortar shells hit many neighborhoods in Damascus, leaving more than 30 people injured, 5 killed and causing huge material damages to apartments, shops and cars.”
As Caritas further reported: “People in Damascus are very depressed nowadays. They were optimistic in the last few months, and they felt that they had reached the end of war; but they feel now that they are back to zero. Most of the families who are living in the eastern part of the city stopped sending their children to school after the Jan. 22, 2018 attacks. The main streets and squares that are usually very crowded during the day are now almost empty. All the people are very cautious in their movements.”
Christians are under siege throughout the Middle East and Aid to the Church in Need works to protect them, including in Damascus
The increasing violence is connected to a broad offensive launched by Al-Qaida-linked groups to capture a key military base in the eastern countryside just outside Damascus. This base, known as “The Vehicle Base,” houses large numbers of soldiers, as well as big weapon depots. The civilian population in territory held by both sides suffer from the continuous fighting between armed rebel groups and the Syrian army.
“Please pray for us in Syria, and help us talk loudly about this part of the story, which is neglected, and which is severely affecting our lives and the lives of our loved ones,” the Caritas report concluded.
Father Andrzej Halemba, who oversees our projects in Syria, called for prayers “for the Syrian Christians, who are living through some extremely difficult moments at this time.” He said that hundreds of civilians, many of them Christians, are living in terror night and day on account of the incessant attacks.”
—Maria Lozano
https://www.churchinneed.org/christians-damascus-coming-heavy-fire/
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Cairo (Agenzia Fides) - The Egyptian government has provided full legal certificates to 53 churches with annexed service buildings already built before the new law on the construction of Christian buildings of worship passed by the Egyptian Parliament on August 30th 2016. A meeting of the government Commission set up specifically to conduct a census and examine the legalization of church buildings built before 2016 ratified the full compatibility of the 53 "legalizied" places of worship with the parameters defined by the new legal provisions. The Egyptian Premier, Sherif Ismail, in addition to technicians and representatives of the ministries of construction, interiors and justice, took part in the meeting, which took place on Monday 26 February.
The 53 legalized" churches represent only a first "block" of the more than 3 thousand Christian places of worship that must be taken into examination by the Government Commission to verify whether they meet the standards established by the new law.
In past decades, many of the Christian places of worship to be submitted to the assessment of the Government Commission were built spontaneously, without all the necessary authorizations. In some cases, these buildings built by local communities were used as a pretext by Islamist groups to foment sectarian violence against Christians.
The law on places of worship, approved at the end of August 2016 (see Fides 23/8/2016) represented for the Egyptian Christian communities an objective step forward with respect to the so-called "10 rules" added in 1934 to the Ottoman legislation by the Ministry of interior, which forbade inter alia to build new churches near schools, canals, government buildings, railways and residential areas. In many cases, the rigid application of those rules had prevented the construction of churches in cities and towns inhabited by Christians, especially in the rural areas of Upper Egypt.
The law approved in August 2016 already prefigured the establishment of an ad hoc commission called to verify the compatibility with the new legislative provisions of the buildings of worship and of the buildings of the different Churches and Christian communities built in previous years (see Fides 3/2/2017). Before August 2016, and in the absence of precise legislative references, the different Churches and Christian communities, in order to meet their own pastoral needs, had built buildings - buildings of worship, but also houses and premises for collective use that often still result without the specific licenses now contemplated by the current legislation.
The legal representatives of the various Christian Churches were asked to provide the Commission in charge, by September 2017, with a list of the properties belonging to the different ecclesial communities, to assess their congruence with the general laws governing the construction of public and private buildings, and proceed to their eventual "legalization".
In the various ecclesial communities, involved in the census operations of the buildings in question, some concerns circulated about the future management of the entire dossier by the government apparatuses: "We hope", said the then Botros Fahim Awad Hanna, Catholic Coptic Bishop of Minya to Agenzia Fides, "they know the reality of the different situations in the individual regions, that the destinations of the buildings, which often carry out functions serving the entire local population, and not just Christians, are taken into account". (GV) (Agenzia Fides, 1/3/2018)
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- Statement of Interreligious Council in Russia on attack against believers in Kizlyar