Pope Francis: Christmas has been ‘taken hostage’ by materialism
2016-12-25
Birth of Jesus should remind world of the suffering of children today, pontiff says in Christmas Eve address at VaticanContinue Reading
Thousands flee as typhoon hits Philippines on Christmas day
2016-12-25
Manila: Thousands of residents were fleeing coastal and other hazardous areas in the eastern Philippines on Sunday as a powerful typhoon barrelled towards the disaster-prone archipelago. Officials warned 2.5-metre (eight feet) high waves and landslides posed the biggest threats as typhoon Nina (also known as Nock-ten) closed in on theContinue Reading
Pope names first woman to head Vatican Museums
2016-12-24
Jatta, an Italian art historian and graphic arts expert, will be the first woman in the post.Continue Reading
Tamil Nadu fishermen attend church ceremony on Lankan island
2016-12-23
Rameswaram: A total of 75 fishermen from this island town today attended the consecration ceremony of a church in Katchatheevu, an islet ceded by India to Sri Lanka in the 1970s, with the occasion marked by a sense of bonhomie amid the persisting dispute over fishing rights in the region.Continue Reading
Church of England appoints first black bishop in 20 years
2016-12-23
London: The Church of England has appointed its first black bishop for 20 years in a move that significantly increases its handful of minority ethnic clergy in senior leadership positions. Downing Street announced that Woyin Karowei Dorgu is to be the 13th bishop of Woolwich, and will be consecrated atContinue Reading
Nepali church leaders guilty of ‘witchcraft’ for helping mentally ill woman
2016-12-23
A Nepali court has found four Christians guilty of ‘violence’ and ‘witchcraft’ against a severely mentally ill woman whom they sought to heal, even though she testified in court in their favour, saying she was now better. The four are sentenced to five years in prison. A fifth Christian, RupaContinue Reading
Thousands leave Aleppo as UN plans new peace talks
2016-12-21
Aleppo : Thousands of traumatised Syrians left the rebel enclave of Aleppo as the UN voted to deploy observers there and said it planned new peace talks in Geneva in February. “It is the intention of the United Nations to convene those negotiations in Geneva on 8 February 2017,” UNContinue Reading
‘No Christmas or carol singing’ orders in Santa Claus’ homeland Turkey
2016-12-20
“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 School) saying that the National Ministry of Education had communicated that no more ofContinue Reading
Christmas market lorry attack kills 12 in Berlin
2016-12-20
Berlin: Police believe the lorry crash that killed 12 people at a Berlin Christmas market was a terror attack. The articulated lorry ploughed into crowds at the popular market at the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church on Monday night and Berlin police say they believe it was intentional rather than anContinue Reading
Putin, Pope Francis discuss protection of Christians in conflict zones
2016-12-20
Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin and Pope Francis discussed the issue of protection of Christians in regional conflict zones and cooperation in the cultural-humanitarian sphere in a phone call on Saturday, the Kremlin said in a statement. Earlier in the day, Putin wished Pope Francis a happy 80th birthday andContinue Reading