By Fionn Shiner THE international president of a leading Catholic charity has expressed sorrow at the violence that has killed more than 242 people in the Holy Land as well as hope that the ceasefire struck early today (Friday, 21st May) will hold.…

Turkey (International Christian Concern) –  Nine churches and monasteries in Tur Abdin, Mardin have been added to a tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage. Tur Abdin was mostly comprised of Syriac Christians until the last century and remains a prominent Christian site.…

With the escalation of confrontations in Jerusalem and the dangerous course that developments in the Holy Land are taking, the Middle East Council of Churches issued a statement in which it considered that the violent events raging in occupied Palestine, which are still increasing in intensity daily, are nothing but an inevitable result of…

May 6, 2021 Honorable Recep Tayyip Erdogan  President of the Republic of TurkeyCumhurbaskanhg1 Kulliyesi 96560 Bestepe-Ankara, Turkey  Hon. President Erdogan: It is with much regret that it is brought to our attention the fate of an Assyrian monk, known as Father Sefer (Aho) Bileçen. Reportedly, he is charged and convicted to…

Greek Catholic priests celebrate Easter Sunday Mass in Przemysl, Poland  (ANSA)Catholics in France are taking up the call to show solidarity with Eastern-rite Catholics as a way of strengthening bonds between Western and Eastern Christians.…

By Raymond Ibrahim  Khalil HamraThe Islamic State in Sinai recently executed another Christian on video. In a clip recorded before the execution, the slain Copt, Nabil H. Salama, 62, “confessed” to his crime: building the only church in Bir al-Abd in Sinai—a church that was supposedly…

Sydney 25 April 2021 Under the slogan of “March of Justice 2021“, advocacy groups representing the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek communities participated in a huge march in Sydney and Melbourne on Saturday, April 24th to commemorate the 1915 genocide at the hands of the Ottoman Turks.…

Today, 22nd April 2021, marks the 8th anniversary of the tragic kidnapping and disappearance of Metropolitan Mor Gregorios Yohanna Ibrahim of the Syrian Orthodox Church of Aleppo, and Metropolitan Paul Yazigi of the Greek Orthodox Church of Aleppo on the outskirts of the Syrian city of Aleppo.…

Sydney April 14, 2021 We write to inform Assyrians in Australia and the world about the name change of our former organisation (AUA INC) and our proceedings in the Supreme Court of NSW.   As you are aware, we have been active members in the Assyrian Community for…

Iraq (International Christian Concern) –  Following the papal visit to Iraq in early March, the Iraqi government has reportedly appointed an inter-ministerial committee tasked with addressing suggestions and concerns of the Pope. Primarily, these recommendations include fixing issues of security, economic development and…

Pope Francis is greeted by people on the podium at the square near the ruins of the al-Tahira-l-Kubra church, in Mosul on March 7, 2021. (AFP)Cardinal Louis Raphael I Sako accompanied Francis throughout‘He has delivered a message of comfort and peace that was so powerful’…

Iraqi Christians of Qaraqosh attend the first Palm Sunday service at the heavily damaged Church of the Immaculate Conception on April 9, 2017, since Iraqi forces recaptured it from Daesh. (AFP/File Photo)Mahamad Ameen Abdul Al-Jawad…

Pope Francis blesses a young boy in the Syriac Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception in Bakhdida, Iraq, on March 7, 2021. Photo credits: Vatican Media.By Hannah Brockhaus (CNA).- During his recent visit to Iraq, Pope Francis gave a donation of $350,000 to the…

Syria (International Christian Concern) –  Following the papal visit to Iraq, Syrian Christians and church leaders expressed their desire and hope for a visit from Pope Francis as well. The historic trip to Iraq, marking the first time a pope has visited the country, sent a message of hope to the whole region.…

The wall is reportedly being knocked down to allow for road building in the city.The ancient Nineveh wall is facing destruction. (TAW)BAGHDAD–While Assyrians around the world are currently preparing to celebrate their Assyrian ancestors’ tradition of Akitu or the Assyrian New Year, an ancient Assyrian…

The fifth Brussels Conference of Syria’s donors opened. At least US$ 10 billion are needed in 2021 to meet needs. At least 24 million people are in serious need, four more than last year. For Bishop Audio, “a shared and global effort is needed”.…

by Raad al-Jammas Pulling golden thread with her frail fingers, elderly Christian Karjiya Baqtar has embroidered a precious prayer shawl to gift the most cherished visitor to her Iraqi hometown — Pope Francis.…

Manuela Tulli, Vatican correspondent for ANSA, Italy’s main news agency, with Pope Francis. (Supplied)Visit ‘could change the history of interreligious dialogue,’ Manuela Tulli tells Arab NewsThis will be her sixth trip embedded with Pope Francis…

Matt Riedl| Catholic Herald Multimedia ProducerFr. David Dufresne visits a historic site in Iraq as part of his trip to the country earlier this month. Fr. Dufresne was able to attend a papal Mass in Irbil, Iraq, March 7. BASILICA OF SAINT MARY | COURTESY…

The Apostolic Journey constitutes a legacy of exchanges and experiences that can bring the country back “to the international arena”. Card Sako suggests ways to revive tourism, dialogue, unity and interfaith dialogue. Tourism can play a role in the economic recovery while highlighting the country’s Christian, Muslim, Yazidi, Sabaean and Jewish heritage.…