A pastor accused of evangelizing in Sarlahi, a remote province in southern Nepal, was beaten by an angry mob on March 24 as religious minorities in the country face escalating levels of persecution. Meanwhile, the organizer of a retreat held in Kathmandu Valley from April 11-13 had to change the venue at the last minute due to threats from Hindu extremists.

Another prayer service scheduled for April 13-14 at the Jesuit run St Xavier school in Patan, Nepal’s third biggest city, also changed venue after Hindu delegations reported that the school was acting as a venue for proselytizing.

Proselytizing and religious conversion are still legally prohibited in Nepal, which began admitting foreign missionaries in the early 1950s but remains heavily committed to ensuring there are no threats to Hindus. Calls to dilute or scrap the law have been surfacing for years.

Hindus represent 80 percent of the population. Buddhists make up 11%, Muslims 4%, and Christians a meagre 1-2%.

The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue issued a message addressed to Muslims on the occasion of Ramadan, which began on 5 May, and for the Eid al-Fitr, which ends the Islamic holy month of fasting.

Titled ‘Christians and Mu-slims: Promoting Universal Fraternity Dear Muslim Brothers and Sisters,’ the message is signed by Secretary of the Dicastery, Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot, MCCJ.

The culture of dialogue between Christians and Muslims, it says, must go on and “promote every person’s right to life, to physical integrity, and to fundamental freedoms, such as freedom of conscience, of thought, of expression and of religion.”

“The month of Ramadan with its dedication to fasting, prayer and almsgiving, is also a month for strengthening the spiritual bonds we share in Muslim-Chri-stian friendship. I am pleased, therefore, to take this opportunity to wish you a peaceful and fruitful celebration of Ramadan.”

“Our religions invite us to remain rooted in the values of peace; to defend the values of mutual understanding, human fraternity and harmonious co-existence; to re-establish wisdom, justice and love” (cf. Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together, Abu Dhabi, 4 February 2019).

Keeping with the UAE’s vision for 2019 to be the ‘Year of Tolerance’, a group of expats took the opportunity to celebrate Ramadan and partake in a special Iftar inside a church in Ras Al Khaimah.

In what could be a first, the expats, mainly from Kerala, spent the evening celebrating Ramadan and partaking in the Iftar inside St Luke Anglican Church in the Northern Emirate.

St Luke Anglican Church is part of the Chaplaincy of Dubai and Sharjah with the Northern Emirates, within the Anglican Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf; one of four Dioceses which make up the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East, which is also a Province within the world-wide Anglican Communion. There are five churches within the chaplaincy: St Luke Anglican Church, Ras Al Khaimah; St Nicholas Anglican Church, Fujairah; St Martin Anglican Church, Sharjah; Christ Church (Anglican), Jebel Ali; and the Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Dubai. Chief priests from three religious groups –Hindus, Christians and Muslims–came together to spread the message of peace, love and harmony among the expatriate community in the UAE.

The event titled “Vishu Easter and Iftar meet”, was organised by the RAK Knowledge Theatre in conjunction with other community groups, including the Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre based in the UAE.

Pakistani authorities freed Asia Bibi, a Catholic woman acquitted of blasphemy, and she has flown to Canada to join her family at a secret address. Her release was confirmed on May 8 by Wilson Chowdhry of the British Pakistani Christian Association, who has been in almost daily contact with Ashiq Masih, Bibi’s husband.

In a statement sent by email to Catholic News Service, Chowdhry, who is based in London, said a British diplomat confirmed early on May 8 that Bibi had left her country.

“Ashiq has always remained hopeful of an imminent release from Pakistan, and we have both been shocked at how long it has taken,” he said. “Asia Bibi and Ashiq have remained resolute in their faith and have prayed daily for their release, and today God has answered their prayers,” he added.

Chowdhry said Bibi was “unwell” after being held in isolation for nearly a decade.

“She must be treated with utmost care and receive appropriate medical care, now she is free,” he said.

“The Pakistani government must ensure Asia and her family are compensated for the loss to their freedom and the fragile safety they have had to suffer under their auspices,” he continued. “Moreover, moves must be made to reform or abrogate the infamous blasphemy laws of Pakistan.”

Bibi’s release was subsequently confirmed by Saiful Malook, the lawyer who represented her in the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

“She was reunited with her family in Canada more than five hours ago,” he told ucanews.com on May 8.

Bibi, a mother of five, was sentenced to hang for allegedly insulting Muhammad, the founder of Islam, under Section 295C of the Penal Code.

The effects of Sri Lanka’s Easter suicide bombings reverberated across two faiths. Catholics shut out of their churches for fear of new attacks, left with only a televised Mass, and Muslim women ordered to stop wearing veils in public.

Many across the nation knelt before their televisions as Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, the Archbishop of Colombo, delivered a homily before members of the clergy and the country’s leaders in a small chapel at his residence in the capital. Meanwhile the tension remains high for the Christian community. Card. Malcolm Ranjith, Archbishop of Colombo, after refusing the armoured car made available by the government, announced the reopening of the churches from May 5, with the celebration of Mass.