Tag: Greek Orthodox

Turkish state blocks election of a new Armenian Patriarch

February 22, 2018 Turkey Armenians, Binali Yildirim, Greek Orthodox, Human rights, Istanbul, Minorities, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Religious freedom, Turkey

For the sixth time since the founding of the Turkish Republic in 1923, the government of constitutionally “secular” Turkey has openly intervened in the selection of a new Armenian Patriarch to lead the nation’s largest Christian community. Now estimated at less than 40,000, Turkey’s Armenian community – located primarily in . . . Read More

Jerusalem church leaders object to municipal tax levy

February 16, 2018 Israel Greek Orthodox, Israel, Jerusalem, Messianic Jews, Orthodox Jews, Tel Aviv, Theophilos III

Land in Jerusalem is at centre of tensions between municipality and churches. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)

The Jerusalem municipality has announced that churches in the city need to start paying municipal taxes, but church leaders have objected, saying they already “invest billions”. In a statement released yesterday (14 February), the Patriarchs and Church Heads of Jerusalem said charging them taxes “is contrary to the historic position . . . Read More

Syria’s second city begins long road to recovery

February 8, 2018 Syria Aleppo, Bashar al-Assad, Boulos Yazigi, Churches, Civil War, Greek Orthodox, Syria, Yohanna Ibrahim

Flag of Syria is waving as sign of victory over the destroyed heavily damaged city of Aleppo. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)

Since the battle for Aleppo ended over a year ago, Syria’s historic second city has fallen out of the headlines. The rebuilding of shattered, impoverished lives is a slow process, but it has presented the churches there with opportunities, says one aid worker with the Christian charity Open Doors. On . . . Read More

Bomb scare intimidates another church in Turkey

February 7, 2018 Turkey Andrew Brunson, Armenians, Balikesir, Bursa, Churches, Diyarbakir, Edirne, Erzurum, Gaziantep, Greek Orthodox, Halki Seminary, Human rights, Istanbul, Izmir, Malatya, Mersin, Middle East, Protestants, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Surp Giragos, Trabzon, Turkey

Trabzon church in a 2007 photo (World Watch Monitor)

Turkish police were called to Trabzon’s Santa Maria Catholic Church on Sunday morning (4 February) to examine a smouldering device spotted in the garden by alarmed church staff. After discovering a partially burned homemade pipe bomb, which had failed to explode, local authorities promptly checked the church’s security camera footage. . . . Read More

Religious minorities’ struggles the focus of Morocco conference

November 17, 2017 Morocco Converts, Greek Orthodox, Islamic extremism, King Mohammed VI, Minorities, Morocco, Rabat, Religious freedom, Sunni

Square next to the Hassan II Mosque in the city of Casablanca in 2010. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)

A conference taking place in Rabat, Morocco, tomorrow (18 November) will focus on the problems religious minorities are facing in the Muslim-majority country. Muslims account for 99 per cent of the population, according to US Department of State figures, and the remaining 1 per cent experience “marginalisation and exclusion”, according . . . Read More

Israel: Messianic congregation reports abuse from Orthodox Jews

September 12, 2017 Israel Greek Orthodox, Israel, Jerusalem, Messianic Jews, Orthodox Jews

An Orthodox Jewish group shouted abuse as they protested outside a meeting of Messianic Jews in Arad, southern Israel, reports Middle East Concern (MEC). At the end of August the Messianic group, Hasdey Yeshua, were meeting in a warehouse when 20-30 members of the ultra-Orthodox group, Gur Hassadim, arrived and started swearing . . . Read More

Istanbul Patriarch ‘losing sleep’ over closed Orthodox seminary

May 16, 2017 Turkey Greek Orthodox, Halki Seminary, Istanbul, Patriarch Bartholomew I, Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Istanbul’s Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew II admitted last week that he is “losing sleep” over the long-delayed opening of the Holy Theological School of Halki. The historic seminary is located on an island hilltop, an hour’s ferry ride from Istanbul. One of the most prestigious seminaries in Eastern Orthodoxy, the Halki . . . Read More

Four years on still no news of kidnapped Syrian bishops

April 28, 2017 Syria Boulos Yazigi, Greek Orthodox, Kidnapping, Syria, Yohanna Ibrahim

Four years on and no-one knows where kidnapped Greek Orthodox Bishop Boulos Yazigi is, as well as his colleague. Photo: Getty Images

At the fourth anniversary of their disappearance the whereabouts of two Syrian bishops is still unknown. Syriac Orthodox Mar Gregorios Yohanna Ibrahim and Greek Orthodox Boulos Yazigi were abducted on 22 April 2013. Several attempts to locate them have been so far unsuccessful. According to Asia News, Mgr Daniel Kourie, Syriac . . . Read More

Morocco Christian survives assassination attempt

November 8, 2016 Morocco Casablanca, Greek Orthodox, Islamic extremism, King Mohammed VI, Morocco

A prominent Christian activist has survived an assassination attempt on Friday (4 Nov.), in Morocco’s northern city of Casablanca, reports Middle East Concern, which works on freedom of religion for Christians. It reports Mohammed Saeed Zao is well-known because of his promotion of the rights of Christians, and has featured . . . Read More

Aleppo church helped ‘almost 2,000 Muslim refugees’

August 19, 2016 Syria Aleppo, Armenians, Greek Orthodox, Hasakah, Islamic State, Kurds, Refugees, Syria

A church in the beleaguered Syrian city of Aleppo has opened its doors to Muslims as well as Christians fleeing the war. Nearly 2,000 Muslims have benefited from the help offered by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, including by the Church of Elias the Prophet, reported Ruptly.tv, an affiliate of Russia . . . Read More

Catching Our Eye