Asia

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  12 December 2023
  ASIA/INDONESIA - Steps and risks in Indonesia's fragile democracy, as the nation approaches the polls Jakarta (Agenzia Fides) - For the fifth time since the end of Mohammad Suharto's authoritarian regime, which collapsed in 1998, Indonesia's young democracy is preparing for presidential elections scheduled for February 2 ...
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  12 December 2023
  ASIA/MYANMAR - Opium production in Myanmar exceeds that of Afghanistan, according to UNODC data Yangon (Agenzia Fides) - The annual report of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has revealed that Myanmar's opium production has surpassed that of Afghanistan during 2023. The document, titled 'Southea ...
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  12 December 2023
  ASIA/BAHREIN - On the consecration of the Cathedral of Awali: Bishop Berardi blesses the relic of the holy martyr Arethas Awali (Agenzia Fides) - "The cathedral is not a parish. It is a place of spirituality, of welcome, where we can find someone who listens to us. We are the true temple, because true worship is in the heart". With these wo ...
• 11 December 2023
  ASIA/CHINA - Bishop Shen Bin confers 77 confirmations in 2 churches in Shanghai dedicated to the Immaculate Conception Shanghai (Agenzia Fides) - Imitate the example of Mary, learn from her "fiat" to welcome with an open and trusting heart the free gift of salvation from God: this is the invitation that the Bishop of Shanghai Joseph Shen ...
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  11 December 2023
  ASIA/PHILIPPINES - Reopening of the university affected by the attack in Marawi: prayer and memory of the victims Marawi (Agenzia Fides) - The Mindanao State University (MSU) campus of Mindanao State University (MSU) in Marawi reopened today, after eight days of closure, following the bomb attack that killed four people during mass ...
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  11 December 2023
  ASIA/BAHRAIN - A gift for everyone. The Sacred Heart Catholic School in Manama celebrates its 75th anniversary by Antonella Prenna Manama (Agenzia Fides) - At the beginning of the day everyone, young and old, sang the Bahraini national anthem together, as befits major occasions. And the occasion is really a reason to celebrate: ...
• 11 December 2023
  ASIA/SRI LANKA - Appointment of Bishop of Chilaw Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - On December 6, the Holy Father appointed the Reverend Arachchige Don Wimal Siri Appuhamy Jayasuriya, of the clergy of the diocese of Chilaw, Sri Lanka, until now parish priest of Saint Mary ...
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  9 December 2023
  ASIA/MIDDLE EAST - Advent in times of war: Christian communities forego celebrations and lighting Bethlehem (Agenzia Fides) - For many Christian communities in the countries of the Middle East, the time approaching Christmas is marked by the pain and and fear of the violence that has broken out again in the Holy Land ...
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  9 December 2023
  ASIA/CHINA - Advent season of the Chinese Catholic communities in the sign of Saint Francis Xavier Nanjing (Agenzia Fides) - The Chinese Catholic communities celebrated the new ecclesiastical year and the first Sunday of Advent on December 3rd in the spirit of St. Francis Xavier, the day on which the feast of the grea ...
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  7 December 2023
  ASIA/CHINA - The Bishop of Xiamen: together with Mary Immaculate to welcome Jesus and experience the work of the Holy Spirit Xiamen (Agenzia Fides) - "Welcoming Jesus together with Mary" was the theme of the spiritual exercises before the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, attended by around dozens of lay Catholics, mainly active in the apost ...
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  5 December 2023
  ASIA/KUWAIT - December 8, 1948 - December 8, 2023: "Diamond Jubilee" of the Church of Our Lady of Arabia Ahmadi (Agenzia Fides) - The celebrations of the anniversary of the Church of Our Lady of Arabia will end on Friday, December 8 with the Eucharistic concelebration presided over by Mgr. Aldo Berardi, O.SS.T, Apostolic Vi ...
• 4 December 2023
  ASIA/THAILAND - Resignation and appointment of th Bishop of Ubon Ratchathani Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - On Saturday, December 2, the Holy Father Francis accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand, presented by Bishop Philip Banchong Chaiyara. ...
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  4 December 2023
  ASIA/PHILIPPINES - “Hit right in the heart”: Catholics do not give up on the path of dialogue and hope By Paolo Affatato Marawi (Agenzia Fides) - The pain and shock following the deadly attack will not stop the path of dialogue and building peaceful coexistence in the southern Philippines. The bomb attack in which four ...
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  4 December 2023
  ASIA/CHINA - The Franciscan Pastoral Center of the Diocese of Jinan celebrates the 60th anniversary of Sacrosanctum Concilium, to continue walking on the paths opened by the Second Vatican Council Jinan (Agenzia Fides) - The Franciscan Pastoral Center of the Diocese of Jinan, in the Chinese Province of Shandong, has just celebrated the 60th anniversary of the promulgation of the Conciliar Constitution on the Sacre ...
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  3 December 2023
  ASIA/PHILIPPINES - Pope Francis expresses condolences for victims of attack Marawi (Agenzia Fides) - Early this morning, December 3, a terrorist attack hit the Filipino Catholic community on the island of Mindanao, in one of the predominantly Muslim provinces. An explosive device was detonated d ...