As visitors descend upon Bethlehem this holiday season, they will notice a different look for the Church of the Nativity. Wrapped in scaffolding, the basilica located at the traditional site of Jesus’ birth is undergoing a much-needed facelift after 600 years. Experts say that water is leaking from the rooftop and threatens to cause serious Read more
“Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem…” (Luke 2:4) As we remind ourselves each year, Joseph and Mary made their long journey, compelled by a census. It became a journey of joy as Mary gave birth to a baby whom we call the Read more
Christians in Jerusalem have staged an impromptu demonstration to protest against the desecration of churches in Israel by groups of extremist Jewish settlers. “It was a spontaneous demonstration to denounce the repeated attacks against holy places carried out by an irresponsible minority, that threatens the peaceful coexistence among peoples,” said Bishop William Shomali, vicar of Read more
Given that the Vatican “gay lobby” story was back in the air this week, it may be hard for some to fathom that anything else is cooking on the church beat. Yet there is real news out there, including this: A new threat has emerged to the Christian community in the Gaza Strip, estimated at just 3,000 Read more
A long-awaited agreement between the Vatican and Israel on the status of Church institutions in the Holy Land appears to be near finality, with Israeli sources indicating that the Cenacle in Jerusalem — on the site of the Last Supper — will return to Catholic control. The same sources say that the tax status of Read more
David Stoliar’s neat house sits atop a hill on the edge of Bend, a small city in central Oregon. A few steps lead up to the front door. Stoliar’s wife, Marda, opens, followed by a happy beagle. “Come in,” she says cheerfully. “Come in.” Her husband is waiting in the living room, surrounded by souvenirs Read more
Israel’s deputy foreign minister has issued an apology to the Coptic Orthodox Church after a Coptic priest was beaten by police during Holy Saturday observances at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Police confronted pilgrims outside the church on May 4, as thousand of Christians arrived for Easter celebrations, according to the Orthodox Read more
With Passover only weeks away, the timing of a massive swarm of locusts in Egypt is striking many Israelis as downright biblical. Millions of the grasshopper-like insects have swarmed Israel’s southern neighbour, damaging crops. Some have since made their way to southern Israel. On the eve of Passover, which this year begins at sundown on Read more
Roman Catholic officials in Israel appealed to authorities this week to take a stronger stand against violence aimed at Catholic churches. An Associated Press report quoted Rev. Pierbattista Pizzaballa expressing worry over relations between Jews and Christians in the Holy Land. “I think the main atmosphere is ignorance,” Pizzaballa said in an interview with the Read more
Most people, most of the time, are fundamentally decent. Hence if they knew that there’s a minority facing an epidemic of persecution — a staggering total of 150,000 martyrs every year, meaning 17 deaths every hour — there would almost certainly be a groundswell of moral and political outrage. There is such a minority in Read more