Some 3,000 Christians from various denominations have demonstrated near the Indian parliament, expressing concern over rising incidents of persecution against their community across the country. The Delhi-National Capital Region Christian Fellowship organized the demonstration on Oct. 26 at the Jantar Mantar – an area near parliament allotted for public rallies and protests in New Delhi. “A staggering 585 incidents targeting Christians were recorded so far this year till September,” said Michael William, president of the United Christian Forum (UCF), a Christian rights group that tracks violence against Christians in the country. The UCF recorded a total of 733 incidents of violence against Christians for the whole of 2023, an average of 61 incidents a month. The UCF has not included atrocities against Christians in the north-eastern state of Manipur, where tribal Christians have been at the receiving end of a 17-month-old communal violence that claimed over 230 lives, most of them Christians. William said repeated pleas to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other government departments, such as the Home Ministry and the national minority commission, have proved futile. The demonstration aimed to attract government attention to Christians’ “deep anguish” over the “targeted violence,” the organizers’ statement said. ”The targeted violence and hostility appear to be suspiciously more in states ruled by the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP),” the statement noted.
Daily Archives: November 2, 2024
The remains of one of the oldest churches in the world found in the ancient capital of the Kingdom of Armenia
A group of scholars recently announced the discovery of the remains of a fourth-century church in Artaxata, the ancient capital of the kingdom of Armenia. For experts, the building represents one of the oldest places of worship in the world and the oldest in the area where the kingdom once ruled, which is also the first in history to have embraced Christianity as an official religion.
The remains of the octagonal-shaped church were unearthed in Artaxata, the ancient capital of the Kingdom of Armenia, by a joint team of archaeologists from the University of Münster (Germany) and the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia, who have been working at the site since September.
The discovery “consists of an octagonal building with cruciform extensions” that “corresponds to early Christian memorial buildings,” reads the press release by the German university.
The researchers also found fragments of marble that show that it was “lavishly decorated” with valuable imported materials. “In the cross-shaped extensions, the researchers discovered the remains of wooden platforms, which were radiocarbon dated to the mid-4th century CE,” the statement goes on to say.
This dating enabled the researchers to determine that the structure “is the oldest archaeologically documented church in the country – sensational evidence for early Christianity in Armenia,” said Prof Achim Lichtenberger of the University of Münster.
Holy See and China extend Provisional Agreement on appointment of bishops
“In light of the consensus reached for an effective appli-cation of the Provisional Agree-ment regarding the Appointment of Bishops, after appropriate consultation and assessment, the Holy See and the People’s Repu-blic of China have agreed to extend further its validity for four years from the present date,” according to a communiqué released by the Holy See Press Office on Tuesday, 22 October 2024.
“The Vatican Party,” the statement continues, “remains dedicated to furthering the respectful and constructive dialogue with the Chinese Party, in view of the further development of bilateral relations for the benefit of the Catholic Church in China and the Chinese people as a whole.”
This is the third renewal of the Agreement that, with the signing on 22 September, 2018, opened a historic chapter in relations between the Holy See and the People’s Republic of China, and within the Church itself in China, allowing all bishops to be in full hierarchical communion with the Pope.
Pakistan’s justice ‘in reverse’: police arrest father of 13-year-old Christian girl abducted and converted
Shakeel Masih was asking for justice. Instead, the father of Roshani Shakeel, a 13-year-old Christian girl abducted, forcibly converted to Islam, and given in marriage against her will in March, was taken into custody last Friday and held for three days on the order of Judge Farooq Latif. Such an episode represents yet again justice “in reverse”, another human rights violation in Pakistan, where being part of a religious minority continues to be a serious risk factor for one’s own safety and that of loved ones.
Roshani was taken from her family on 13 March. With the complicity of an imam, local authorities facilitated her conversion, falsely registering her as an 18-year-old, and renaming her Zehra Bibi. She was married to Muazzam Mazher, and the union registered as consensual by local officials, effectively handing her over to her captor. Eventually, the girl managed to escape after hearing her captor talk about plans to sell her.
Storm Leaves Scores Dead and Widespread Damage in the Philippines
Tropical Storm Trami (also known as Typhoon Kristine) mo-ved over the Philippines leaving more than 150 people dead and entire communities ravaged by flooding and mudslides.
Trami hit the island of Luzon, which includes the capital Mani-la, bringing two months’ worth of rain to some areas in just 24 hours. It made landfill at the Vietnamese city of Danang after crossing the South China Sea.
The Philippines’ Archdiocese of Lipa, which includes some of the areas south of Manila that have suffered serious mudslides, said in a Facebook post that Archbishop Gilbert Garcera is “calling for help and prayers for the victims of Typhoon Kristine in the province of Batangas.” “I continue to pray for our province, because after the storm hit us, many are suffering and many are in need of prayer. For now I am asking for help from you, espe-cially to our brothers and sisters who were hit by the typhoon,” Garcera said.
According to the archdiocese, based on the latest report from the Lipa Archdiocesan Social Action Commission (LASAC), the death toll in Batangas provin-ce has reached 43 while the search continues for at least 22 missing. Currently, about 13,000 families – more than 44,000 individuals – are temporarily housed in 277 evacuation centres in different parts of Batangas, the archdiocese said.
Caritas Manila, a charitable agency of the Church, is expected to send food packs and non-food items as additional help to meet the needs of families in evacua-tion centres, the archdiocese concluded. The Philippines, one of the most disaster-prone count-ries in the world, is hit by some 20 tropical storms and typhoons every year.
Indonesian Bishop Declines Cardinalship, Choosing Humility and Growth Over Honour
In a rare and humbling move, Bishop Paskalis Bruno Syukur of Bogor, Indonesia, has declined the honour of being elevated to cardinal in the upcoming Consistory on December 7, 2024. The Franciscan bishop’s decision to forego this prestigious role stems from his deep desire to continue growing in his personal priesthood and to further serve the Church and the people of God. As a result, the number of new cardinals set to receive their red hats from Pope Francis has been reduced from 21 to 20. The Vatican’s Press Office, headed by Matteo Bruni, confirmed the news in a statement: “His Excellency Paskalis Bruno Syukur, Bishop of Bogor, Indonesia, has asked the Holy Father not to be made cardinal during the upcoming Consistory. His Excellency’s request is motivated by his wish to grow further in his priestly life, in his service to the Church and the people of God.”
This decision has sparked interest and admiration within the Catholic world, not only because of its rarity but also because it reflects a profound sense of humility and dedication to spiritual growth—a testament to Bishop Syukur’s Franciscan values.
The 62-year-old Franciscan was consecrated bishop of Bogor, a diocese just south of Indonesia’s capital city of Jakarta, in February 2014. From 2001–2009, Syukur was the Franciscan provincial minister of Indonesia. In 2009, he became the general delegate for the Asia and Oceania region, which includes India, Pakistan, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and Indonesia. The bishop has also held leadership positions in the Indonesian bishops’ conference.
With Syukur’s withdrawal, as of Dec. 7, the total number of eligible cardinal electors will be 140, 110 of whom were chosen by Pope Francis. This means the current pontiff has named 79% of the men who will one day elect his successor.
Persecution of Christians has worsened around the globe, according to new study
Christians are suffering increased vio-lence, discrimination and other human rights abuses around the world, according to a report unveiled Tuesday, 22nd October. Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) launched ”Persecuted and Forgotten? A Report on Christians oppressed for their Faith 2022-24″ at an event in the UK Parlia-ment, revealing that Christian persecution has significantly worsened in most countries surveyed. “Persecuted and Forgotten?” provides global and regional analysis, exa-mining the situation for Christians in 18 countries of key concern – from Nicaragua in Latin America to Burma (Myanmar) in the Far East – between summer 2022 and summer 2024. Countries where Christian persecution and oppression has increased include world powers such as China and India, as well as Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country. For the first time in the report’s 18-year history, Nicaragua is featured in res-ponse to extreme oppressive measures targeting Chri-stians, notably the mass de-tention and expulsion of clergy. The report features first-hand testimonies from survivors of anti-Christian attacks, in addition to details of incidents based on information obtained from ACN’s local contacts. Recu-rring themes in the report include the displacement of Christian communities following attacks by extremist groups and the forced marriage and con-version of Christian women and girls, as well as the kidnapping and intimidation of priests and the publication of derogatory content about Christianity in school textbooks.
Anti-Christian persecu-tion has been perpetrated by both state and non-state actors, such as terrorist organisations, other groups of religious extremists and criminal gangs.
The report states that militant Islam was responsible for the increased persecution in all six African countries reviewed, indicating that “the epicentre of militant Islamist violence has shifted from the Middle East to Africa”. It goes on to explain: “Mass migration of Christian communities, triggered by militant Islamist attacks, has destabilised and disenfranchised them, raising questions about the long-term survival of the Church in key regions.”
Pope Francis cuts salaries of Vatican cardinals again
Pope Francis has decided to cut the salaries of the cardinals working at the Vatican again, a measure that will take effect Nov. 1. According to the Italian ANSA news agency, layman Maximino Caballero Ledo, the prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy, informed the cardinals of the Holy Father’s decision in a letter dated Oct. 18, almost a month after another letter from Pope Francis on the subject.
Specifically, the cut in salaries or stipends will be in two areas: the “secretarial bonus” and the “office compen-sation,” two methods that were part of the monthly allowances and that will no longer be paid.
Although the Vatican does not specify how much a cardinal working in the Vatican receives, ANSA indicated that it is approximately 5,500 euros a month (about $65,000 a year). With the current cut, that amount would decrease by about 500 euros ($540).
Murdered priest in Mexico remembered as ‘tireless apostle of peace’
Father Marcelo Pérez, a priest of the Diocese of San Cristóbal de las Casas in the Mexican state of Chiapas, died on Oct. 20, killed by two men who shot him after he had celebrated Mass. His diocese now remembers him as a “tireless apostle of peace.”
According to information provided by the diocese through a statement shared on Oct. 21, Pérez was born on Jan. 17, 1974, in San Andrés Larráinzar in Chiapas state. From a young age he felt the call to the priesthood and entered the Our Lady of Guadalupe seminary in 1990 in the Archdiocese of Tuxtla Gutierrez. He was ordained a priest on April 6, 2002.
During his ministry, Pérez worked in various parishes. In his last two years, he served as pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in San Cristóbal de las Casas.
According to the Diocese of San Cristóbal de las Casas: “His life was spent in search of justice and peace, especially in Simojovel, Pante-lho, and San Cristóbal de las Casas.”
The diocesan statement noted that this commitment earned him consequences. “All this service he performed led him to suffer a long period of threats, persecu-tion, harassment, slander, defa-mation, even an unfounded arrest warrant, which put his personal safety at risk, to the point of his life being taken.”
In its statement following his murder, the Diocese of San Cri-stóbal de las Casas said that “even knowing that his life was in danger, he lived a profound faith in God and a great love for the people that took him to the ultimate consequences, sealing today, with his blood, his commitment to give his life.”
Sacred Heart encyclical ‘key’ to Pope Francis’ pontificate, theologian says
A prominent Italian theolo-gian and archbishop has called Pope Francis’ new encyclical on the Sacred Heart “the key to his entire pontificate” and “the inspiring motive of [his] whole ministry and magisterium.”
Archbishop Bruno Forte of Chieti-Vasto presented Dilexit Nos (“He Loved Us”) at a press conference at the Vatican on Oct. 24. A prolific spiritual writer, Forte, who became a member of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith in June, called the encyclical “extremely timely” for its attention to “the centrality of God’s love in Jesus Christ” and to the “dramatic challenges of the present time.”
Pope Francis released Dilexit Nos on Thursday, calling for a renewed understanding of devotion to the Sacred Heart in the modern era and its many pressing challenges.
Forte said Pope Francis’ magisterium is “far from being … restricted to social issues, as it has sometimes been clumsily understood,” and his message “to the entire human family stems from a single spring, presented here in a more explicit, clear way: Christ the Lord, his love for humanity.”