Tag: Christmas

Indian Christmas: fear and Western ways

December 28, 2017 India Christmas, Hindu nationalism, India, Kandhamal, Madhya Pradesh

How will Christians under pressure for their faith celebrate Christmas? In the fifth of our series we hear from India. “Where is the joy? There is so much of fear now,” said AC Michael, a prominent Christian leader, when asked about the mood among Christians as they prepare for Christmas . . . Read More

Iranian Christmas: Inconspicuous decorations … then celebrating behind bars

December 27, 2017 Iran Christmas, House churches, Iran, Prisons, Shiraz

How do Christians under pressure for their faith celebrate Christmas? In the fourth of our series we hear from an Iranian Christian who spent three years – and three Christmases – in prison. Because converting away from Islam is illegal in Iran, house churches meet in secret and Christmas is . . . Read More

Christmas in North Korea: an inner celebration

December 26, 2017 North Korea Christmas, Kim Jong-Un, North Korea, South Korea

How will Christians under pressure for their faith celebrate Christmas? The third instalment in our series focuses on North Korea. North Korea is the most difficult country in which to live as a Christian, according to the advocacy charity Open Doors, which has ranked it no. 1 in its World . . . Read More

A merry Saudi Christmas and the flight from Egypt

December 25, 2017 Christmas, Egypt, El-Arish, India, Migrants, Saudi Arabia

How will Christians under pressure for their faith celebrate Christmas? In the second of our series we hear from Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Saudi Arabia: Migrant workers challenged to live Christmas every day No, really – although building churches, displaying crosses or meeting for Christian worship is outlawed in the . . . Read More

Pakistan and Iraq: Christmas joy mixed with grief

December 24, 2017 Christmas, Iraq, Kirkuk, Multan, Nineveh Plains, Pakistan, Quetta

How will Christians under pressure for their faith celebrate Christmas? In the first of our series we hear from Pakistan and Iraq. Pakistan: Pattern of suicide attacks during festivals This is the fourth time in three years that suicide bombers have targeted churches or gatherings around Christian festivals. Last Sunday . . . Read More

Governor Taseer’s son accused of hate speech

January 3, 2017 Pakistan Apostasy, Asia Bibi, Blasphemy, Christmas, Imran Khan, Mumtaz Qadri, Pakistan, Prophet Muhammad, Salmaan Taseer, Shaan Taseer

The son of a senior politician murdered six years ago for criticising Pakistan’s controversial blasphemy law has been accused of committing “hate speech” for echoing the criticism. Shaan Taseer, son of the former Punjab Governor Salman Taseer, said the law was “inhumane” during a filmed Christmas message shared via social . . . Read More

Manipur Christians warned off celebrating Christmas

December 20, 2016 India Christmas, Manipur, Naga

Christians in Manipur, north-east India, have been warned off celebrating Christmas, sources told World Watch Monitor. The threats were made after vandals attacked Manipur Baptist Church on 17 Dec. The men and women pelted the church with stones, broke windows and damaged a gate and the church sign. They then . . . Read More

‘No Christmas or carol singing’ orders in Santa Claus’ homeland Turkey

December 20, 2016 Turkey Christmas, Coup, Istanbul, Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Istanbul Erkek Lisesi, also known as Istanbul High School, Istanbul 2011© Guillaume Piolle / CC “No more Christmas celebration and/or lessons on Christmas including carol singing is permitted, effective immediately”. An email on 13 December sent to about 35 German-funded teachers at Istanbul Erkek Lisesi (also known as Istanbul High . . . Read More

Indonesia: Islamists stop Christmas celebrations

December 14, 2016 Indonesia Ahok, Bandung, Blasphemy, Christmas, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, Islamic extremism, Jakarta, Java

An Indonesian church’s Christmas celebrations were stopped on 6 Dec. by members of a local Islamist group in Bandung, who protested that such services should take place in a church, not a public space. The mayor of Bandung, capital of the West Java province, wrote on his official Instagram account: . . . Read More

Turkey’s Protestants ‘anxious and distressed’

February 15, 2016 Turkey Ankara, Balikesir, Christmas, Protestants

After a year filled with repeated threats and attacks against Protestant churches and their leaders in Turkey, the leader of their tiny Christian community has admitted that they remain “anxious and distressed”. In an interview with Al-Monitor, Pastor Ihsan Ozbek of the Association of Protestant Churches named two major obstacles . . . Read More

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