Tag: Pope Francis

5 years on, what has Pope Francis done for religious freedom?

March 19, 2018 Global News -- No Particular Country Al-Azhar, Asia Bibi, Boko Haram, Egypt, Havana, Human rights, Iraq, Latin America, Minorities, Myanmar, Patriarch Bartholomew I, Patriarch Kirill, Pope Francis, Religious freedom, Syria, Turkey

Pope Francis greets people during his inauguration on 19 March 2013. (Photo: Getty Images)

Pope Francis, the son of Italian migrants, appeared on the steps of St Peter’s Basilica five years ago to be introduced as the first Latin American pontiff. Below, World Watch Monitor looks at a few of the highlights of his tenure so far, and his impact on freedom of religion . . . Read More

Boko Haram killed Christian woman’s son to ‘teach her a lesson’ for not converting to Islam

March 1, 2018 Nigeria Boko Haram, Borno, Maiduguri, Nigeria, Pope Francis

Rebecca Bitrus was abducted by Boko Haram in 2014 and suffered because of her faith. (Photo credit: Claire Giangravé/Crux news agency)

The shocking story of Rebecca Bitrus, a Nigerian woman who suffered terrible abuse after her capture by Boko Haram in 2014, has been shared with Pope Francis at a meeting in the Vatican. Her story, shared as the Colosseum was lit up in red last Saturday (24 February) in support . . . Read More

Pope and Patriarch ‘feared nuclear war could erupt over Syria’

February 27, 2018 Cuba, Dagestan, Greek Orthodox, Jordan, King Abdullah II, Moscow, Patriarch Kirill, Pope Francis, Russia, Syria, Turkey, USA, Vladimir Putin

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

The historic meeting between the heads of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches took place not only out of shared concern for Middle Eastern Christians, but to try to avert confrontation between nuclear powers in Syria, according to the Russian Orthodox Patriarch. When Patriarch Kirill met Pope Francis in 2016 it . . . Read More

Asia Bibi’s family and Boko Haram survivor visit Pope

February 26, 2018 Pakistan Asia Bibi, Nigeria, Pakistan, Pope Francis

Rome’s Colosseum was bathed in red light on Saturday night (24 February) in solidarity with victims of religious persecution, as Reuters reported. The light-show marked a meeting between Pope Francis and family members of Asia Bibi, the Pakistani Christian woman sentenced to death for blasphemy and in prison since 2009, . . . Read More

Chinese bishop reshuffle reinforces fears of state meddling

January 30, 2018 China Catholics, China, Churches, Crosses, Guangdong, Pope Francis, Religion Law, Shantou, Sinicisation, Xi Jinping

Fears are growing that China’s communist government may be gaining more control over the Catholic Church there, as news emerged that the Vatican asked two bishops it had appointed to step aside in favour of ones selected by Beijing. These developments have taken place following a state campaign against China’s . . . Read More

Pope meets evangelical leaders to strengthen religious freedom

December 18, 2017 Global News -- No Particular Country Churches, Pentecostals, Pope Francis, Religious freedom

A burned church in a village in Southern Kaduna, northern Nigeria. Violence attributed to militant Fulani herdsmen in Nigeria reached a record high last year.(Photo: World Watch Monitor)

Pope Francis and leaders from the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) met last Thursday (14 December) in Rome to discuss further collaboration in promoting religious freedom in a world where persecution of Christians is on the rise. The church leaders also talked about strengthening their partnership in Bible distribution and confronting . . . Read More

‘80% of religious discrimination targets Christians’

December 7, 2017 Global News -- No Particular Country Bishop Angaelos, Copts, Human rights, Middle East, Patriarch Bartholomew I, Patriarch Kirill, Pope Francis, Religious freedom

Father Poulos looking up to the ceiling in this house that still has a lot of destruction and needs thorough repairs

Christians are the victims in 80 per cent of acts of religious discrimination, despite only accounting for 30 per cent of the global population, a conference in Washington heard on Tuesday (5 December). The statistics, from the International Society for Human Rights, were presented at the 3rd International Conference on Religious . . . Read More

Bangladesh: Catholic priest found, then detained for being ‘mentally unstable’

December 4, 2017 Bangladesh Bangladesh, Catholics, Pope Francis

A Catholic priest who went missing in Bangladesh days ahead of a visit by Pope Francis has been found alive, but there is still confusion over the circumstances of his disappearance. Father Walter William Rozario, 41, is said by his family to have escaped from his captors and called his . . . Read More

Bangladesh: Catholic priest missing as Pope Francis arrives

November 30, 2017 Bangladesh Bangladesh, Catholics, Dhaka, Education, Islamic extremism, Islamic State, Pope Francis, Religious freedom

Pope Francis hold hands with President of Bangladesh Abdul Hamid (L) upon arriving at the Presidential palace in Dhaka on 30 November 2017. (Photo: VINCENZO PINTO/AFP/Getty Images)

Pope Francis has arrived in Bangladesh, where a Catholic priest disappeared three days ago, highlighting the pressure Christians and other minority groups are under in the mainly Muslim country. Father Walter William Rozario, who is also the headmaster of a high school, went missing in northern Natore district on 27 . . . Read More

Myanmar: new peace talks announced during Pope’s visit

November 29, 2017 Myanmar Cardinal Bo, Chin, Kachin, Karen, Myanmar, Panglong, Pope Francis, Rohingya, Shan

Pope Francis meeting Aung San Suu Kyi during his visit to Myanmar, Nov 2017 (Getty)

The third ‘Panglong Conference’ has been announced by Myanmar’s government during an official visit by Pope Francis, reports Catholic news agency Fides. Tabled for the last week in January, it will be the latest in a series of peace negotiations between armed ethnic groups and government forces. The original Panglong . . . Read More

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