Church in Middle East
The Latest
Pope to Palestinian leaders: have courage to 'forge peace'
Pope Francis began the second day of his Holy Land pilgrimage in a meeting with Palestinian authorities, urging them to... Read more
Eastern Patriarchs 'watchful guardians' of unity, Pope says
Pope Francis spoke with Patriarchs of various Oriental Churches during a four day gathering in Rome, stating that it is their... Read more
Pakistan bishop says attacks on Christians fueled by politics
Amid recent violence against Christians in Pakistan, a leading bishop says that the attacks are deeply rooted in the political... Read more
Senate bill would aid religious minorities in Middle East
Amid ongoing attacks against Coptic Christians in Egypt, a U.S. Senator has introduced legislation aimed at protecting the rights of... Read more
Church in northern Arabia longs for 'place to worship'
As he oversees the missionary territory of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain, apostolic vicar Camillo Ballin outlined Catholics' need... Read more
Coptic Pope stresses urgency of Christian unity at Vatican
The Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Egypt met with Pope Francis at the Vatican and spoke about the... Read more
Lebanese president discusses Syria refugees with Pope
Pope Francis and Lebanese president Michel Sleiman met to discuss the Syrian fighting and the influx of refugees it has... Read more
Pope responds to bishops' kidnapping with 'intense prayer'
Pope Francis is responding to the kidnapping of two Orthodox bishops in Syria with “intense prayer” for their health and... Read more
Syrian patriarch asks Vatican to increase peace efforts
The most powerful Catholic leader in Syria met Pope Francis today to ask the Vatican to get more involved in... Read more
Egypt's Christians call for peace after attack on Orthodox cathedral
Christian leaders in Egypt appealed for calm after a mob attacked St. Mark’s Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Cairo on Sunday... Read more
Youths who wrote Good Friday meditations ask for peace
A leader of the Lebanese youth groups that wrote the meditations for today’s Via Crucis at the Coliseum said they... Read more
Good Friday stations pray for Christian unity in Middle East
A Syrian Christian who fled the fighting in his country believes that the Good Friday Stations of the Cross at... Read more
Protest highlights treatment of Coptic Christians in Libya
Christians gathered in front of the Libyan Embassy in Washington, D.C., on March 14 to peacefully protest the recent detainment... Read more
Patriarch urges protection for Iraq's fleeing Christians
Patriarch Louis Raphael I Sako, head of the Chaldean Catholic Church, says greater security is needed for Christians in Iraq... Read more
Syrian bishop hopes new patriarch's experience will save lives
A Syrian bishop is happy with the election of Archbishop Louis R. Sako as Patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church... Read more
New Coptic Catholic leader receives Pope's approval
Pope Benedict XVI approved Bishop Ibrahim Isaac Sidrak as the new Patriarch of Alexandria of the Copts in Egypt, granting... Read more
Catholic hospital in Jordan struggles to help Syrian refugees
A Jordanian Catholic hospital is appealing for more money to help with the growing influx of Syrian refugees fleeing the... Read more
Jerusalem patriarch's Christmas message surveys Middle East situation
The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Archbishop Fouad Twal, has issued a Christmas message that both laments the violence and refugee... Read more
Pope warns Gaza conflict could spread in Middle East
Pope Benedict XVI is warning violence could spread through the region, after Israel continued bombing Gaza and a suicide bomb... Read more
Pope cancels delegation to Syria, focuses on aid work
A delegation of bishops from the recent synod on the New Evangelization will not go to Syria as violence continues... Read more
