Church in northern Arabia longs for 'place to worship'

May 30, 2013 - 04:05 am .- As he oversees the missionary territory of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain, apostolic vicar Camillo Ballin outlined Catholics' need for religious toleration as well as a physical home for ministry.

Coptic Pope stresses urgency of Christian unity at Vatican

May 10, 2013 - 07:06 am .- The Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Egypt met with Pope Francis at the Vatican and spoke about the urgent need for unity among Christians in the Middle East.

Lebanese president discusses Syria refugees with Pope

May 3, 2013 - 10:25 am .- Pope Francis and Lebanese president Michel Sleiman met to discuss the Syrian fighting and the influx of refugees it has sent into his country.

Pope responds to bishops' kidnapping with 'intense prayer'

Apr 23, 2013 - 05:31 am .- Pope Francis is responding to the kidnapping of two Orthodox bishops in Syria with “intense prayer” for their health and release.

Syrian patriarch asks Vatican to increase peace efforts

Apr 18, 2013 - 05:00 am .- The most powerful Catholic leader in Syria met Pope Francis today to ask the Vatican to get more involved in bringing peace to his tortured homeland.

Egypt's Christians call for peace after attack on Orthodox cathedral

Apr 9, 2013 - 02:03 am .- Christian leaders in Egypt appealed for calm after a mob attacked St. Mark’s Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Cairo on Sunday during the funeral of four Coptic Christians killed in sectarian clashes.

Youths who wrote Good Friday meditations ask for peace

Mar 29, 2013 - 09:58 am .- A leader of the Lebanese youth groups that wrote the meditations for today’s Via Crucis at the Coliseum said they focus on unity and peace between Christians and Muslims.

Good Friday stations pray for Christian unity in Middle East

Mar 26, 2013 - 04:03 pm .- A Syrian Christian who fled the fighting in his country believes that the Good Friday Stations of the Cross at the Coliseum will help raise promote Christian unity and awareness of the growing turmoil in the Middle East.

Protest highlights treatment of Coptic Christians in Libya

Mar 19, 2013 - 02:01 am .- Christians gathered in front of the Libyan Embassy in Washington, D.C., on March 14 to peacefully protest the recent detainment and torture of Copts in Libya.

Patriarch urges protection for Iraq's fleeing Christians

Feb 26, 2013 - 12:03 am .- Patriarch Louis Raphael I Sako, head of the Chaldean Catholic Church, says greater security is needed for Christians in Iraq who are leaving their homeland for fear of local disorder.

Syrian bishop hopes new patriarch's experience will save lives

Feb 4, 2013 - 08:50 am .- A Syrian bishop is happy with the election of Archbishop Louis R. Sako as Patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church as he believes his experience at building dialogue in Iraq could save the lives of many Christians.

New Coptic Catholic leader receives Pope's approval

Jan 18, 2013 - 03:00 pm .-  Pope Benedict XVI approved Bishop Ibrahim Isaac Sidrak as the new Patriarch of Alexandria of the Copts in Egypt, granting him "ecclesiastical communion.''

Catholic hospital in Jordan struggles to help Syrian refugees

Jan 17, 2013 - 11:52 am .- A Jordanian Catholic hospital is appealing for more money to help with the growing influx of Syrian refugees fleeing the conflict in their homeland.

Jerusalem patriarch's Christmas message surveys Middle East situation

Dec 27, 2012 - 04:11 am .- The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Archbishop Fouad Twal, has issued a Christmas message that both laments the violence and refugee situation in the Middle East and calls on Christians to live out their faith.

Pope warns Gaza conflict could spread in Middle East

Nov 21, 2012 - 11:02 am .- Pope Benedict XVI is warning violence could spread through the region, after Israel continued bombing Gaza and a suicide bomb rocked Tel Aviv.

Pope cancels delegation to Syria, focuses on aid work

Nov 7, 2012 - 12:57 pm .- A delegation of bishops from the recent synod on the New Evangelization will not go to Syria as violence continues to ravage the country, Pope Benedict XVI announced Nov. 7.

Middle East to host Catholic youth conference

Nov 7, 2012 - 02:02 am .- At least 1,500 Catholic youth from across the Middle East will gather at Abu Dhabi’s St. Joseph’s Cathedral for Arabia’s second Catholic youth conference this Nov. 15-17.

Violence postpones papal delegation to Syria

Oct 23, 2012 - 03:47 pm .- The Vatican Secretary of State told the synod on the New Evangelization that the planned peace mission to Syria will still happen but has been postponed following flare-ups in violence.

Pope prays for Middle East Christians in Arabic

Oct 10, 2012 - 02:12 pm .- After his recent visit to the Church in Lebanon, Pope Benedict added Arabic to the list of official languages used at his weekly general audiences, launching the effort by offering the promise of his prayers in Arabic.

Christians excited to hear Pope's messages in Arabic

Oct 9, 2012 - 12:34 pm .- Arab Christians are reacting positively to the decision to include Arabic as one of the official languages used at the Pope’s weekly general audience.