Asia

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  19 December 2020
  ASIA/PAKISTAN - Bail for the kidnapper of the Catholic girl Arzoo Raja Karachi (Agenzia Fides) - A Karachi court of first instance has granted bail to the kidnapper of the Christian minor Arzoo Raja, setting the bail at 500,000 Pakistani rupees (about 2,700 euros) and a similar bail for his ...
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  19 December 2020
  ASIA/MALAYSIA - In Kuala Lumpur, the Church suspends all public Masses and liturgies until Epiphany due to the pandemic Kuala Lumpur (Agenzia Fides) - The Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur has suspended all public masses in all parishes, churches, chapels from Christmas Eve (December 24) until the solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord (January ...
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  18 December 2020
  ASIA/HOLY LAND - Heads of the Churches of Jerusalem: at Christmas let us rejoice in God's gift for us, in these difficult times Jerusalem (Agenzia Fides) - The birth of Jesus and the celebration of his Nativity "constantly remind us that God is with us and always will be". For this reason, the imminent liturgical Solemnity of the Lord's Birth cal ...
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  18 December 2020
  ASIA/MYANMAR - The Bishop of the Burmese territory with the highest Christians presence dies: A Pastor dedicated to listening and dialogue Loikaw (Agenzia Fides) - Today, December 18, in the Catholic cathedral of Loikaw, capital of the Burmese state of Kayah - the state with the highest percentage of Christians in the country-, the funeral of Bishop Stephen ...
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  18 December 2020
  ASIA/INDONESIA - Between pandemic and religious extremism: police and Muslim volunteers protect churches during Christmas Jakarta (Agenzia Fides) - In almost all the provinces of Indonesia, the safeguarding of Christmas and New Year celebrations is a particular concern for local governments, police, civil society organizations and religious ...
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  17 December 2020
  ASIA/PHILIPPINES - The Islamic-Christian movement "Silsilah": Advent and Christmas, time of mercy Zamboanga (Agenzia Fides) - "The new liturgical year, which began with the season of Advent which will culminate with the celebration of Christmas, is an invitation to Christians to enter a phase of new conversion of the ...
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  17 December 2020
  ASIA - The next frontier for human development: working "with" and not "against" nature Bangkok (Agenzia Fides) - The number of people displaced due to natural disasters in the world is destined to increase to almost 14 million people, 72% of whom are affected by floods. Most of the displaced will be in Sou ...
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  17 December 2020
  ASIA/IRAQ - Parliament recognizes Christmas as a public holiday throughout the country Baghdad (Agenzia Fides) - From this year, Christmas becomes a public holiday throughout Iraqi territory. This is what the members of the Iraqi Parliament decided, expressing unanimously their agreement to the proposal ma ...
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  16 December 2020
  ASIA/HOLY LAND - Jerusalem, Covid outbreak in the Latin Patriarchate. Patriarch Pizzaballa also positive Jerusalem (Agenzia Fides) - Two weeks after his inauguration as Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Archbishop Pizzaballa has been infected with the Covid-19 virus. This is what he himself said on December 15 during a video co ...
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  16 December 2020
  ASIA/PHILIPPINES - The pandemic does not stop the traditional mass at dawn for the Christmas novena Manila (Agwnzia Fides) - In the midst of the pandemic, Filipino Catholics have poured into churches for the famous Filipino Christmas tradition: the "Simbang Gabi" or "Misa del Gallo", the mass celebrated at dawn for nin ...
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  16 December 2020
  ASIA/PAKISTAN - The Church mourns the missionary Bishop of the Vicariate of Quetta Quetta (Agenzia Fides) - Hundreds of people gathered at the San Francesco School complex in Quetta to attend the funeral and pay homage to Bishop Victor Gnanapragasm OMI, first Bishop of the Apostolic Vicariate of Quett ...
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  15 December 2020
  ASIA/PAKISTAN - After 12 years in prison: A Christian sentenced to life imprisonment for blasphemy acquitted on appeal Lahore (Agenzia Fides) - Imran Masih, a 38-year-old Christian from Faisalabad, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for blasphemy, was acquitted on appeal today, December 15, before the Lahore Supreme Court. The court ...
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  15 December 2020
  ASIA/LEBANON - Standstill in the formation of a government: Patriarch Younan recalls the shared responsibility of Christian politicians Beirut (Agenzia Fides) - In Lebanon the path to the formation of a new government is becoming more and more complicated, while the former Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab together with three former ministers are now s ...
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  15 December 2020
  ASIA/INDONESIA - Christmas marked by the Covid-19 pandemic, an opportunity for Christians to live it with faith in the family Jakarta (Agenzia Fides) - Parish priests, priests, nuns, religious and all the faithful will have to respect strict health protocols during the Christmas period. And even the liturgical celebrations will be influenced by ...
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  15 December 2020
  ASIA/MALAYSIA - Commitment of the Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu in favor of the pastoral care of immigrants Kota Kinabalu (Agenzia Fides) - "Given the needs of the territory, we hope that the pastoral care of migrants and itinerant people within the Archdiocese will be intensified and better organized": It is in these terms th ...