Middle East - Africa News

CNA

Catholic Relief Services calls for ‘immediate humanitarian access’ to Gaza Strip

Oct 16, 2023

By Jonah McKeown

The charity group on Saturday asked for aid access “before a dire humanitarian situation becomes a catastrophe.” Read more

Local Christians pray the rosary during a prayer service hosted by the Franciscan friars of the Custody of the Holy Land on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, in St. Saviour's Church, Jerusalem.

Praying for peace: Franciscans hold special prayer services in Jerusalem

Oct 16, 2023

By Marinella Bandini

This past weekend, Franciscan friars joined with other religious and laypeople to pray for peace in the Holy Land one... Read more

Leaders of churches in Jerusalem issued a statement calling for an end to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Heads of churches in Jerusalem call on Israel to allow humanitarian aid to go to Gaza 

Oct 13, 2023

By Tyler Arnold

“We call upon all parties to de-escalate this war in order to save innocent lives while still serving the cause... Read more

Israel unleashed an attack in the northern Gaza Strip on Oct. 12, 2023, in Gaza City, Gaza.

Israel urges civilians in northern Gaza to evacuate

Oct 13, 2023

By Daniel Payne

In a message posted to its X account on Friday, the Israeli government “call[ed] on civilians in northern Gaza to... Read more

A migrant boat on the beach at Camposoto San Fernando Cádiz, Spain.

Cardinal denounces enslavement, violence against African migrants en route to Europe

Oct 12, 2023

By Ana Paula Morales

Cardinal Cristóbal López Romero said: “We are talking about robberies, violence, rape, and being sold as slaves.” Read more

A damaged street in Syria after the Feb. 6, 2023, earthquake.

In face of war and natural disasters, Church in Syria seeks to maintain people’s faith

Oct 12, 2023

By Ana Paula Morales

Syrian Catholic Archbishop of Aleppo Denys Antoine Chahda said the Church is working to “motivate [the people] not to leave... Read more

Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa blesses the congregation at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem on April 4, 2021.

Catholic patriarch calls day of prayer and fasting for peace in the Holy Land

Oct 12, 2023

By Courtney Mares

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa has urged Catholics to organize times of prayer with Eucharistic adoration and recitation of the rosary. Read more

A house is completely destroyed after being burned by Hamas militants during the attack at Kibbutz Be'eri, near the border with Gaza on Oct. 11, 2023, in Be'eri, Israel.

Caritas Jerusalem suspends activities in Gaza and Israel but announces emergency plan

Oct 11, 2023

By Diego Lopez Marina

Caritas Jerusalem, which serves the needs of people in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and Jerusalem, reported that some of... Read more

Family and friends of May Naim, 24, who was murdered by Palestinians militants at the "Supernova" festival near the Israeli border with Gaza Strip, react during her funeral on Oct. 11, 2023, in Gan Haim, Israel.

Update: Over 1,000 killed, including 22 Americans, in Saturday terrorist attacks on Israel

Oct 11, 2023

By Peter Pinedo

President Joe Biden on Tuesday called the attack a moment of “pure unadulterated evil” unleashed by Hamas, who he said... Read more

Rocket shells are left on the grass outside a house where civilians and soldiers were killed by Hamas militants days earlier, Oct. 11, 2023, in Be'eri, Israel.

Israeli woman whose 80-year-old father was among those taken hostage: ‘Save their lives’

Oct 11, 2023

By Daniel Payne

“Dozens of terrorists invaded the kibbutz and started butchering the residents, going house by house,” Noam Perry said. “They butchered... Read more

Daily procession of the Franciscan friars of the Custody of the Holy Land (Calvary, Latin Chapel), Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Jerusalem. Oct. 9, 2023.

In the Holy Land, Franciscans are keeping doors to holy sites open — for now

Oct 11, 2023

By Marinella Bandini

Jerusalem is semi-deserted, with many shops, schools, and offices closed, but the Custody of the Holy Land has kept holy... Read more

Three nuns, a seminarian, and the driver of the vehicle they were in were abducted in Nigeria’s Imo State on Oct. 5, 2023. The nuns’ order, the Missionary Daughters of Mater Ecclesiae, appealed for their safe release in an Oct. 6 statement.

Sisters issue appeal for ‘safe release’ of 3 nuns who were abducted from Nigerian diocese

Oct 11, 2023

By Jude Atemanke

The vicar general of the Missionary Daughters of Mater Ecclesiae in Nigeria said five people were abducted Oct. 5 in... Read more

Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza at Christmas 2021.

Pastor of only Catholic church in Gaza: ‘Never have we seen things like this time’

Oct 10, 2023

By Julieta Villar

Father Gabriel Romanelli expressed his gratitude for the closeness, concern, and prayers, along with the “hundreds of messages” he receives... Read more

A picture taken in the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon on Oct. 7, 2023, shows burnt-out vehicles outside a residential building hit in a rocket attack from the Gaza Strip.

Nearly 300 reported killed by Hamas insurgents at Israeli music festival

Oct 9, 2023

By Daniel Payne

The Supernova music festival being held near Kibbutz Re’im in southwestern Israel, just a few miles from the Gaza Strip,... Read more

Cars are seen on fire following a rocket attack from the Gaza Strip in Ashkelon, southern Israel, on Oct. 7, 2023.

Dozens killed in surprise Hamas attacks on Israel; Netanyahu says country ‘at war’

Oct 7, 2023

By Daniel Payne

Surprise attacks by Hamas on Israel early on Saturday killed at least dozens of people. Read more

A screen grab from a video shared with ACI Africa that shows the parish house at St. Raphael Fadan Kamantan Catholic Church of the Diocese of Kafanchan in flames Sept. 7, 2023.

Suspects arrested in killing of seminarian in Nigerian parish rectory fire

Oct 5, 2023

By Jude Atemanke

Seminarian Na’aman Danlami died after Fulani bandits reportedly attacked St. Raphael Parish Fadan Kamantan on the night of Sept. 7... Read more

The Christian community in Qaraqosh, in Iraq’s Nineveh Plains, was devastated last week after a fire broke out at a Syriac Catholic wedding celebration.

Pope Francis sends telegram to Iraqi Christian community after tragic wedding fire

Oct 2, 2023

By Peter Pinedo

An Iraqi Christian community in Qaraqosh, northern Iraq, was devastated by a massive fire at a crowded wedding reception that... Read more

A mourner holds up an image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus at the funeral on Sept. 27, 2023, of victims who were killed when a fire ripped through a crowded wedding hall in the mainly Christian northern city of Qaraqosh, Iraq, also known as Hamdaniyah. At least 100 people were killed, officials said, pointing to indoor fireworks as the likely cause for the blaze that sparked a panicked stampede for the exits.

Iraq archbishop calls for prayers after tragic wedding fire

Sep 27, 2023

By Jonah McKeown

More than 100 died after a fire at a Syriac Catholic wedding celebration is the Nineveh Plains of Iraq. Read more

Archbishop Andrew Fuanya Nkea of the Archdiocese of Bamenda in Cameroon.

Cameroon archbishop: ‘No room for distraction’ for delegates to Synod on Synodality

Sep 27, 2023

By ACI Africa

“We are not going to allow ourselves to be distracted by the social media antics,” Archbishop Andrew Nkea Fuanya said. Read more

Father Marcellinus Obioma Okide was reportedly abducted from Nigeria’s Enugu Diocese on Sept. 17, 2023.

Abducted priest in Nigeria released, diocese ‘grateful’

Sep 25, 2023

By Jude Atemanke

Father Marcellinus Obioma Okide, a parish priest at St. Mary Amofia-Agu Affa Parish in the Enugu Diocese, was set free... Read more