General

Christmas for refugees in Lebanon: far from home and reduced to handouts

December 30, 2017 Lebanon Beirut, Iraq, Islamic State, Lebanon, Refugees, Syria

How do Christians under pressure for their faith celebrate Christmas? In the seventh in our series we hear from a Lebanese Catholic who helps look after Iraqi and Syrian refugees in Beirut. Lebanon has absorbed more than a million refugees from conflicts in nearby Syria and Iraq, where Christians either . . . Read More

Machine-gun ambush kills Christians leaving church near Cairo

December 29, 2017 Egypt Bishop Angaelos, Cairo, Copts, Egypt, Helwan, Islamic State

Preparations for memorial services following the Dec. 29 attack on Mar Mina church in Helwan, south of Cairo. (Photo via Twitter / @auscma)

This version contains updated information about the details of the attack, and comments from witnesses contacted by World Watch Monitor. Several Christians were gunned down as they left church services on the morning of 29 December near the Egyptian capital, Cairo, the Coptic Church and various government authorities reported. At . . . Read More

The Syrian refugee’s Christmas: free from danger but not from worry

December 29, 2017 Syria Al-Nusra Front, Catholics, Civil War, Refugees, Syria

How do Christians under pressure for their faith celebrate Christmas? In the sixth of our series we hear from a Syrian Catholic who has come to Britain as a refugee. “Back in Damascus we would have a big meal with our extended family on Christmas Eve – anything from three to . . . Read More

Indian Christmas: fear and Western ways

December 28, 2017 India Christmas, Hindu nationalism, India, Kandhamal, Madhya Pradesh

How will Christians under pressure for their faith celebrate Christmas? In the fifth of our series we hear from India. “Where is the joy? There is so much of fear now,” said AC Michael, a prominent Christian leader, when asked about the mood among Christians as they prepare for Christmas . . . Read More

Iranian Christmas: Inconspicuous decorations … then celebrating behind bars

December 27, 2017 Iran Christmas, House churches, Iran, Prisons, Shiraz

How do Christians under pressure for their faith celebrate Christmas? In the fourth of our series we hear from an Iranian Christian who spent three years – and three Christmases – in prison. Because converting away from Islam is illegal in Iran, house churches meet in secret and Christmas is . . . Read More

Christmas in North Korea: an inner celebration

December 26, 2017 North Korea Christmas, Kim Jong-Un, North Korea, South Korea

How will Christians under pressure for their faith celebrate Christmas? The third instalment in our series focuses on North Korea. North Korea is the most difficult country in which to live as a Christian, according to the advocacy charity Open Doors, which has ranked it no. 1 in its World . . . Read More

A merry Saudi Christmas and the flight from Egypt

December 25, 2017 Christmas, Egypt, El-Arish, India, Migrants, Saudi Arabia

How will Christians under pressure for their faith celebrate Christmas? In the second of our series we hear from Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Saudi Arabia: Migrant workers challenged to live Christmas every day No, really – although building churches, displaying crosses or meeting for Christian worship is outlawed in the . . . Read More

Pakistan and Iraq: Christmas joy mixed with grief

December 24, 2017 Christmas, Iraq, Kirkuk, Multan, Nineveh Plains, Pakistan, Quetta

How will Christians under pressure for their faith celebrate Christmas? In the first of our series we hear from Pakistan and Iraq. Pakistan: Pattern of suicide attacks during festivals This is the fourth time in three years that suicide bombers have targeted churches or gatherings around Christian festivals. Last Sunday . . . Read More

Egypt teenager’s murder ‘aimed to intimidate Copts ahead of Christmas’, says his pastor

December 22, 2017 Egypt Asyut, Copts, Egypt, Upper Egypt

Murdered 14 yr old Ishak Nashaat Birwan, who drove a 'tuk-tuk' taxi

The body of 14-year-old Ishak Nashaat Birwan was found on Wednesday (20 December), 11 days after he disappeared, in a canal near where he lived in Izziyah, a large Christian village near Manfalout in Asyut. Samir Fekry, Ishak’s cousin, told World Watch Monitor that the body was taken to the . . . Read More

Adding insult to injury – Pakistani church leaders arrested, fined for ‘not putting security in place’

December 22, 2017 Pakistan Faisalabad, Lahore, Multan, Pakistan, Peshawar, Punjab, Quetta

Bishop of Multan Leo Paul with a security inspection team outside Multan Cathedral, late Dec 2017

Pakistan intelligence agencies on Tuesday (19 December) put out an alert that major parks could be targeted by suicide bombers over Christmas in Lahore, capital of Punjab province – where the largest population of Christians resides. On Sunday (17 December), two suicide bombers attacked Bethel Memorial Methodist Church in the . . . Read More

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