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Photo: Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I embrace.
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CWN - The Egyptian government and the bishops of the Coptic Orthodox Church have agreed to a revision of 1934 regulations governing the construction and restoration of churches.
Over the years, local Egyptian officials have cited the 1934 law to prevent the construction of new churches and repairs to old churches.
However, “the situation is still controversial,” said Coptic Catholic Bishop Bishop Antonios Aziz Mina. Some Christian youth groups are criticizing the revisions because, in the words of the Fides news agency, “there are too many technical details, allowing anyone to use again pretexts to prevent the construction of new churches.”
The nation’s parliament is expected to approve the revisions.
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CWN - The head of the Chaldean Catholic Church, an Eastern Catholic church in full communion with the Holy See, has called upon “Muslims and non-Muslim people of good will” to repudiate the Islamic State, which currently controls approximately 15% of Iraq and 30% of Syria.
“We know that the majority of Muslims are neutral, unbiased, open-minded and willing to work hard for the benefit of their countries and their fellow citizens,” Patriarch Louis Raphael I Sako said in a message posted on the patriarchate’s website. “Their initiative should be a united and strong stance, with which they can together stop the spread of ISIS cancer by standing against isolation, extremism, hatred, violence.”
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CWN - Addressing pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square on August 24, Pope Francis appealed for peace in Ukraine.
“In these last weeks, the international observers have expressed concern for the worsening situation in eastern Ukraine,” the Pope said, adding:
"Today, as that dear nation celebrates its national holiday – which this year coincides with the 25th anniversary of independence – I assure them of my prayer for peace and I renew my appeal to all the parties involved and to the international bodies that they might strengthen the initiatives to resolve the conflict, release the hostages, and respond to the humanitarian emergency."
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CWN - Three patriarchs of Damascus have issued an appeal for an end to international sanctions on their country, saying that they have increased the suffering of the civilian population, "especially the poor and working class."
The statement, issued through the AsiaNews service, is signed by Melkite Catholic Patriarch Gregory III Laham, Greek Orthodox Patriarch John X, and Syrian Orthodox Patriarch Ignatius Ephrem II.
The international sanctions have "deepened the suffering of the Syrian people," the Christian leaders report. Although the sanctions were intended to isolate the Syrian government, they say that the practical effect has been to burden the people and to encourage others who "do not want the common good of the country."
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Chicago - His Grace Bishop Richard Stephen (Seminack) 74, fourth eparch of the the St. Nicholas Eparchy of Chicago for Ukrainians, fell asleep in the Lord August 16, 2016.
After a prolonged battle with Cancer, he died at Alden Poplar Creek Rehabilitation Center in Hoffman Estates, IL.
The priests, deacons and the staff of the Saint Nicholas Eparchy extend condolences to his family, friends, parishioners and all whose life he touched!
Please remember Bishop Richard in your prayers.
May his memory be eternal!
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This thoughtful and perceptive biographic sketch, by Eastern Churches’ expert, Konrad Lübeck (first written in German nearly a century ago) of Patriarch Maximos III Mazlum, famed as “liberator” of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church in the nineteenth century, appears in a new English translation by T J Kingston, with a Foreword by Patriarch Gregorios III.
204 pages. With colour and black-and-white illustrations of historical figures from the period. Paperback. Available from Eastern Christian Publications. Price: $20.00