Protest in Georgian capital amid anger over “desecration” of Stalin icon
Tbilisi, Georgia Reuters A large protest was held in Tbilisi on Saturday to demand harsh punishment for a woman accused of defacing a religious icon depicting Soviet dictator Josef Stalin which was recently-installed in the Georgian capital. The suspect is alleged to have splashed paint on the icon, which was on display in the city’s […]
Bulgarians, Greeks celebrate Epiphany with traditional rituals
Sofia, Bulgaria/Athens, Greece AP Thousands of young men are plunging into rivers and lakes across Bulgaria to retrieve crucifixes, in an old ritual marking the feast of Epiphany. By tradition, a crucifix is cast into the waters of a lake or river, and it is believed that the person who retrieves it will be freed […]
In the US, Congress’ new class has much higher percentage of Christians than American public
United StatesRNS The religious makeup of the new Congress bucks the trends seen in American religious life, a new report finds. The Pew Research Center says the Senate and House members are “largely untouched” by the continuing decrease in the portion of Americans who identify as Christian and the comparable increase in the share of those who […]
Finding consensus: In these polarised times, even a prayer could be up for debate
ADELLE M BANKS reports that after struggling over wording in the prayer, one ecumenical organisation in the US is developing new tools to address divides within its own network…
Life beyond the grille: On Greece’s Santorini, 13 cloistered nuns pray for the world
GIOVANNA DELL’ORTO, of The Associated Press, reports on the lives of the nuns of the Monastery of St Catherine and their ongoing commitment to prayer…
Essay: War at Lent – how Ukraine could reshape how we think about Christian unity
JACOB LUPFER, in an article published on Religion News Service, says the message of Lent, no matter how or where it is celebrated, remains the same…
New survey of US Jews reveals worries, strengths, divisions
United StatesAP A comprehensive new survey of Jewish Americans finds them increasingly worried about anti-Semitism, proud of their cultural heritage and sharply divided about the importance of religious observance in their lives. The survey, released Tuesday by the Pew Research Center, estimated the total Jewish population in the country at 7.5 million — about 2.3 per […]
Ukrainian artist couple turns military ammo boxes into Christian icons
Kyiv, UkraineReuters Visiting a military base in 2014, Ukrainian artist and icon painter Oleksandr Klymenko was struck by how much the bottom and cover of a wooden ammunition box could resemble a Christian icon panel. He borrowed one of the boxes from the base and painted a Byzantine icon featuring the Virgin Mary holding the […]
Belgium religious faiths want more worshippers at services
AP Representatives of the religious faiths recognised in Belgium have joined forces to urge federal authorities to increase the number of people admitted inside places of worship during the coronavirus pandemic. Under the current COVID-19 rules, such places can accommodate up to 15 people. In a letter to Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne, the religious […]
Masked Pope, faith leaders pray for peace and pandemic’s end
Rome, ItalyAP A masked Pope Francis welcomed religious leaders to a socially-distanced interfaith peace prayer Tuesday, appealing for a unified international effort to work for peace and an end to the coronavirus pandemic. Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, Sikh and Hindu leaders stood for a minute of silence to pray for all the victims of COVID-19 […]