Asia - Pacific News

Members representing Assam Christian Forum and CRI-NEI in India take part in a solidarity prayer meeting for restoration of peace in Manipur after ethnic violence at a school in Guwahati on June 24, 2023.

Indian church leaders plead for protection amid ‘relentless attacks’ on Christians

Dec 9, 2024

By Anto Akkara

“We need protection against what is happening and urge the government to ensure the safety of the Christians,” Archbishop John... Read more

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

ACN report: North Koreans in contact with Christians are sent to prison 

Nov 27, 2024

By Eduardo Berdejo

The report was published this month during Red Week and is an initiative by ACN to draw attention to religious... Read more

Cardinal Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi during an interview with CNA in Rome on Friday, Oct. 18, 2024.

Archbishop of Tokyo: An aging society like Japan’s will not be able to survive

Nov 22, 2024

By Andrés Henríquez

Archbishop Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi of Tokyo spoke to the Vatican new agency Fides about the present and future state of... Read more

Shanghai Bishop Joseph Shen Bin speaks to Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin at a Vatican conference on Wednesday, May 22, 2024.

Chinese bishop focused on adapting faith to Communist Party ideals, Shanghai Catholics say

Nov 22, 2024

By Jonah McKeown

Bishop Joseph Shen Bin of Shanghai recently gave a diocesan seminar Nov. 4–6 about “Sinicization of Religion in Shanghai.” Read more

Indian Christians pay their respects to the remains of St. Francis Xavier during the 17th exposition of the saint's body at the Se Cathedral in Goa on Nov. 22, 2014.

St. Francis Xavier’s relics draw 12,000 in Goa, India, for decennial exposition

Nov 21, 2024

By Kate Quiñones

As many as 8 million people are expected to visit the relics during the 45-day period. The last exposition, in... Read more

“We think of these stories of saints that have withstood all this persecution as belonging to the Middle Ages,” said Bill McGurn, godfather of Jimmy Lai. “It’s going on right now, and we can see it.”

Jimmy Lai’s godfather assesses trial: ‘He’s a real champion of freedom’

Nov 21, 2024

By Kate Quiñones

Jimmy Lai, 76, was first arrested in August 2020 under China’s newly instituted Hong Kong national security law. Read more

Jimmy Lai’s wife, Teresa (left), and retired Chinese Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-Kiun arrive at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts to attend Hong Kong activist publisher Lai’s national security trial in Hong Kong on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024.

Jimmy Lai takes the stand in yearslong Hong Kong national security trial

Nov 20, 2024

By Daniel Payne

Catholic pro-democracy and human rights activity Jimmy Lai took the stand Wednesday arguing in his own defense against allegations of... Read more

The Supreme Court of India.

Church leaders will appeal Indian Supreme Court order for tax on salaries of clergy

Nov 20, 2024

By Anto Akkara

“This judgment without a detailed hearing of our plea is very disappointing. We have no option but to challenge this... Read more

Left: Protesters burn a bishops’ circular in front of St. Mary’s Basilica, the cathedral of Ernakulam Archdicoese in India. Right: An elderly woman puts a burning circular into a bin in front of Vazhakkala, India, church.

Liturgical conflict resurfaces in troubled Indian Syro-Malabar archdiocese

Nov 15, 2024

By Anto Akkara

This month’s delayed priestly ordination of eight deacons of the Ernakulam Archdiocese of the Syro-Malabar Church has highlighted continuing divisions. Read more

St. Joseph Church in the west-central region of Bukit Timah in Singapore.

Singapore priest stabbed while celebrating Mass

Nov 11, 2024

By Jonah McKeown

Father Christopher Lee, a parish priest at St. Joseph Church in the Singapore region of Bukit Timah, was attacked by... Read more

Members of a rescue team search for victims at Klatanlo village in East Flores Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, on Nov. 4, 2024, after Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki erupted overnight.

Volcano destroys Indonesia Catholic convent, killing religious sister

Nov 4, 2024

By Kate Quiñones

Sister Nikolin Padjo, head of a local monastery in Boru, Wulanggitang, died in the eruption, according to a report by ... Read more

Lights for the celebration of the Hindu festival Diwali.

Vatican message for India’s ‘festival of lights’ emphasizes need for fostering harmony

Oct 31, 2024

By Anto Akkara

“Diversity is seen by most as a source of mutual growth, learning, and enrichment. At the same time, it is... Read more

An aerial view shows a long line of trucks stranded along a flooded highway caused by heavy rains brought about by Tropical Storm Trami in Nabua town, Camarines Sur province, South of Manila, Philippines, on Oct. 23, 2024.

Storm leaves scores dead and widespread damage in the Philippines

Oct 28, 2024

By Jonah McKeown

Tropical Storm Trami hit the island of Luzon, which includes the capital Manila, bringing two months’ worth of rain to... Read more

Catholic Church of the Saviour, also called Xishiku Church or Beitang, in Beijing.

Vatican-approved bishop consecrated in Beijing days after China deal renewal

Oct 25, 2024

By AC Wimmer

Pope Francis has appointed a new Catholic bishop in Beijing following the renewal of the Vatican-China agreement. Read more

A reconstruction of an ancient church recently discovered in Armenia. The newly discovered church measures about 100 feet across and is shaped like an octagon with “cruciform annexes oriented east-west and north-south,” according to Achim Lictenberger, who noted the discovery of a similar structure from a slightly later period found in Abchazia (Sebastopol).

Ancient ruins in Armenia might be oldest church in world’s first Christian nation

Oct 24, 2024

By Madalaine Elhabbal

A team of German and Armenian researchers made a groundbreaking discovery last week of an ancient church in Armenia dating... Read more

The Vatican on Oct. 22, 2024, announced it had accepted the request of Bishop Paskalis Bruno Syukur, OFM, of Bogor, Indonesia (seen here in 2017), to not be made a cardinal at the Dec. 7 consistory as had been previously announced. The bishop’s request “was motivated by his desire to continue growing in priestly life and in service to the Church and the people of God,” the Holy See Press Office said.

Indonesian bishop declines cardinal appointment to ‘grow in priestly life’

Oct 23, 2024

By Hannah Brockhaus

The bishop’s request “was motivated by his desire to continue growing in priestly life and in service to the Church... Read more

A worshiper waves the flag of China as Pope Francis leaves following the weekly general audience on June 12, 2019, at St. Peter's Square at the Vatican.

Vatican-China bishop deal renewed for four more years

Oct 22, 2024

By Courtney Mares

The renewal comes days after a report from the Hudson Institute detailed how seven Catholic bishops in China have been... Read more

Cardinal Joseph Zen arrives at a court for his trial in Hong Kong on Sept. 26, 2022.

Persecution of 10 Catholic bishops in China intensified after Vatican-China deal, report says

Oct 21, 2024

By Courtney Mares

A new report by religious freedom advocate Nina Shea for the Hudson Institute sheds light on the repression faced by... Read more

Barricades are set up at a military checkpoint on the Tongil bridge, the road leading to North Korea’s Kaesong city, in the border city of Paju on Oct. 9, 2024. North Korea’s army said on Oct. 9 it was moving to “permanently shut off and block the southern border” with Seoul and had informed the U.S. military to prevent an accidental clash.

Archbishop warns of diminishing hope for peace as North Korea escalates military threats

Oct 14, 2024

By Daniel Payne

A South Korean prelate said Catholics continue to pray for peace and hope but that “hope is fading” for reunification... Read more

Cardinal Philip Neri Ferrão, the president of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI), launches the migrant portal on Sept. 27, 2024, in Bangalore, India.

‘Duty to accompany migrants’: Indian bishops launch portal to support nation’s immigrants

Oct 8, 2024

By Anto Akkara

The digital portal was launched on Sept. 27 in Bangalore by the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India ahead of... Read more