Middle East - Africa News

A fisherman places handmade oil barriers into the sea at the Old Grand Port in Mauritius, Aug. 11, 2020, to block leaked oil from the MV Wakashio.

Mauritius oil spill: Catholic cardinal says local villages are suffering

Aug 14, 2020

By Courtney Mares

After a damaged ship leaked more than 1,000 tons of oil off the coast of Mauritius, the Bishop of Port-Louis... Read more

Cardinal Bechara Boutros Rai, the Maronite Patriarch, at the Vatican March 5, 2013.

Cardinal says Lebanon leaders should resign after Beirut blast

Aug 10, 2020

By Courtney Mares

Lebanon’s Maronite Catholic patriarch called for the resignation of the entire Lebanese government Sunday, following the devastating explosion in Beirut last... Read more

Damage in downtown Beirut following an explosion at the city's port, Aug. 6, 2020.

Catholic groups aid recovery after Beirut explosion

Aug 8, 2020

Following an explosion that killed more than 150 people in Beirut, international Catholic groups have responded by providing health services... Read more

Aftermath of the Aug. 4, 2020 explosion in Beirut, Lebanon.

Aid to the Church in Need sending 250,000 euro in food aid to Lebanon

Aug 6, 2020

International Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has announced an emergency 250,000 euro food aid package for... Read more

Pope Francis receives in audience Togolese president Faure Gnassingbé at the Vatican, April 29, 2019.

Togolese bishop, supportive of political reform, targeted by spyware

Aug 5, 2020

Researchers based at the University of Toronto announced Monday that Bishop Benoît Alowonou of Kpalimé was among six targets of... Read more

Lebanese Catholics pray at the shrine of St. Charbel, the country's patron saint.

Lebanese cardinal: ‘The Church has a great duty’ after Beirut explosion

Aug 5, 2020

By Hannah Brockhaus

A Lebanese cardinal has called on charities around the world to help Beirut's families “heal their wounds and restore their homes.”  Read more

People ride past a car destroyed after a building wall collapsed after a large explosion on August 4, 2020 in Beirut, Lebanon.

Maronite Catholic priest concerned by potential shortages after Beirut blast

Aug 4, 2020

A Maronite priest from Lebanon has expressed concern that the country may face food shortages in the wake of Tuesday’s... Read more

How Natural Family Planning is spreading in West Africa

Aug 1, 2020

By Mary Farrow

In countries throughout Western Africa, the most common religions are Islam and Catholicism. Both of these religions reject the use... Read more

Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey.

Syrian government to build replica of Hagia Sophia

Jul 30, 2020

The government of Syria plans to build a replica of Hagia Sophia, with support from Russia, as a protest against... Read more

Sister Anthonia Orji, and Rays of Hope Students

This nun aims to get Ghana's children off the streets, and into school

Jul 29, 2020

Child laborers in Ghana work in hard, dangerous jobs, for practically no pay. Sister Anthonia Orji goes out to the... Read more

Church in Akure, the largest city in Ondo State, Nigeria.

'Beyond reprehensible': Christian aid workers executed in Nigeria

Jul 28, 2020

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom released a statement on Tuesday condemning the execution of five aid workers... Read more

Cardinal Bechara Boutros Rai, the Maronite Patriarch, at the Vatican March 5, 2013.

Patriarchs meet in Lebanon to discuss political neutrality amid crisis

Jul 24, 2020

By Courtney Mares

As Lebanon reels from an economic crisis, Catholic patriarchs met Thursday and reaffirmed the importance of the country’s neutrality in... Read more

A woman stands in a burned out area after an extremist attack on the village of Aldeia da Paz, Mozambique, Aug. 24, 2019.

Churches burned, people beheaded in Mozambique’s escalating extremist violence

Jul 23, 2020

By Courtney Mares

A Catholic bishop has deplored the world’s indifference to escalating extremist violence in northern Mozambique, where multiple churches have been... Read more

Cross atop the seminary in Beit Jala, Palestine.

Israeli forces remove 6th-century baptismal font from Palestinian town

Jul 22, 2020

Israeli forces on July 20 carried out an operation to retrieve a Byzantine-era baptisimal font that they said was stolen... Read more

The restored Maronite Cathedral of St. Elijah in Aleppo, Syria.

Catholic cathedral in Syria that survived missile attacks reopens after restoration

Jul 20, 2020

A Catholic cathedral that was repeatedly struck by missiles amid the Syrian civil war was due to reopen Monday following... Read more

Fr. Lazar Arasu with participants at Peace Meeting with UNHCR and other Leaders in South Sudan

South Sudan's tribes can power peace efforts, Catholic priest says

Jul 16, 2020

After a violent incident between South Sudanese tribal members in a previously peaceful refugee camp in Uganda, a local priest... Read more

Ebola epicentre with workers in Africa.

New Ebola outbreak in DRC prompts Catholic aid

Jul 13, 2020

Caritas Spain has announced that it will donate more than 23,000 euros – about $26,000 – to Caritas in the... Read more

Hagia Sophia, a museum in Istanbul which was formerly a church, and then a mosque.

Hagia Sophia belongs 'to all of humanity', Eastern Orthodox patriarch says amid mosque plans

Jul 9, 2020

While Turkey’s president has made moves to close the museum at the former Christian basilica Hagia Sophia and revert it... Read more

The Church of Mar Behnam and Mart Sarah in Qaraqosh, Iraq celebrates Christmas Mass Dec. 25, 2018 before the church's renovation.

‘Life after ISIS’: Christians are leaving Iraq due to ongoing security concerns

Jul 7, 2020

By Courtney Mares

More Christian families left the Nineveh Plains than returned to their hometowns last year amid ongoing security concerns in the... Read more

Mor Abrohom Church in Nusaybin, Turkey.

Religious scholar laments: Turkish Christians 'a welcome scapegoat'

Jun 25, 2020

According to a scholar of comparative religion, Christians in Turkey are being persecuted by the Turkish government, in part to... Read more