Tag: Churches

Egypt allocates land for new Cairo churches

January 29, 2015 Egypt Cairo, Churches, Copts, Egypt

Agenzia Fides reports a plot of land, the size of 2.5 acres (30 hectares), has been made available to the Coptic Patriarchate to build offices connected to the Cathedral of San Marco in Cairo. Three additional smaller plots will be allocated in other areas across the capital for the construction of . . . Read More

Recent violence in Niger shows growing intolerance among religious groups

January 28, 2015 Niger Boko Haram, Charlie Hebdo, Churches, Islamic extremism, Mahamadou Issoufou, Maradi, Niamey, Protestants, Sahel, Salafism, Zinder

Mixed emotions were evident as members of the Christian community in Niger gathered for their services on Sunday, 25 January, 2015. Some were full of joy to get back to church; others could barely hide their sorrow. A week ago, the church bells remained silent. Ten people died during that . . . Read More

70+ churches destroyed as ‘anti-Charlie’ protests spread in Niger

January 20, 2015 Niger Agadez, Charlie Hebdo, Churches, Islamic extremism, Mahamadou Issoufou, Maradi, Niamey, Niger, Zinder

The Christian community in Niger says it is in shock in the wake of weekend violence that has claimed the lives of ten people and led to the destruction of dozens of places of worship and Christian homes. The protest, which started in the country’s second city, Zinder, on Friday . . . Read More

Turkey allows first church to be built since 1923

January 8, 2015 Turkey Churches, Greek Orthodox, Istanbul, Turkey

According to Hurriyet Daily News, “the Council of Europe has hailed Turkey’s decision to allow the building of a new church for the Syriac community in Istanbul, which will be the first new church to be built in the country in nearly a century.” “It is the first [new church] . . . Read More

Egyptian bishop advocates for convert rights

December 11, 2014 Egypt Churches, Constitution, Converts, Egypt, Religious freedom

Bishop Mounir Hanna Anis of the Episcopal Diocese of Egypt has declared that Egyptian Muslims who become Christians should be issued identity cards and other official documents, just as they are granted to citizens who convert to Islam from other religions. “The Egyptian Constitution guarantees freedom of belief. However, not all . . . Read More

Clampdown on Sudan’s churches

December 4, 2014 Sudan Bahri, Churches, Khartoum, Omdurman, Sharia, Women

A building used as a church by Sudanese Christians is being torn down by police after worshippers fell into a dispute with a group that claims to own the building. The evangelical church community in Bahri, a suburb of Khartoum, had formed a human chain to prevent the building from . . . Read More

New military plan to combat Boko Haram progress

October 8, 2014 Nigeria Boko Haram, Churches, Nigeria

UPDATE: Close to 200 churches have been destroyed by Boko Haram forces in northern Nigeria in the last 60 days, according to Catholic news agency, Agenzia Fides. The latest ransacking of towns and villages has left more than 190,000 people newly displaced in the lead up to what should have . . . Read More

China’s anti-church drive jails pastor for 10 yrs

September 2, 2014 China China, Churches, Crosses, Wenzhou, Zhejiang

“A Chinese preacher is facing up to a decade in prison after he was detained on what supporters say are trumped up charges intended to weaken resistance to an ongoing crackdown targeting the country’s rapidly growing Christian community,” The Telegraph reports. Pastor Huang Yizi, 40, was arrested in Wenzhou on . . . Read More

Egypt’s damaged churches begin to re-open

August 14, 2014 Egypt Beni Suef, Churches, Copts, Egypt, Minya, Mohamed Morsi, Muslim Brotherhood, Sohag

A year after a wave of anti-Christian violence , 10 have re-opened, says the Coptic bishop overseeing church restoration. that Bishop Morcos of Shubra Al Khaimah said “the army in cooperation with some concerned companies” has restored the 10 churches, which are in the Beni Suef, Sohag and Minya governorates . . . Read More

Mosul’s two kidnapped Chaldean nuns released

July 15, 2014 Iraq Catholics, Chaldeans, Churches, Dohuk, Europe, Islamic State, Kidnapping, Louis Raphael I Sako, Mosul, NATO, Nineveh Plains

Update (15 July) Two kidnapped nuns who managed an orphanage for girls in Mosul, and two women and a boy, who were kidnapped on 28 June have been released. According to ankawa.com no ransom was paid for the release of the five Assyrian victims who are in good health and . . . Read More

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