News
Byzcath.org News provides news focusing on the Christian East from varous sources and offers links to other sites dedicated to providing the news about the Church.
Churches and organizations that provide news about the Eastern Churches are invited to submit their news stories to us for publication here (use the contact page for submission)..
Materials from the Vatican Information Service, Zenit, CWNews.com and other sources are published here with permission of their owners but may not be republished further without the permission of their original publishers. Please visit these sites to obtain additional general news about the Church. In addition to these sources EWTN News also provides a good general news summary.
Photo: Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I embrace.
- Details
CWN - Following recent incidents of violence against Egypt’s Coptic Christian minority, Coptic leaders said that the government’s decision to host a “reconciliation meeting” rang hollow without the arrests of perpetrators.
“Our Christian faith is based on peace and reconciliation,” said Coptic Orthodox Bishop Pachomios of Beheira, but such meetings are only useful if “assailants are brought to justice and punished by the government.”
Additional sources for this story
Some links will take you to other sites, in a new window.
- Details
To the Reverend Clergy and Faithful Stewards of the Metropolis of Boston
Brethren,
We are all shocked with today's terrorist attack at the Boston Marathon. Once again, evil reared its ugly head and countless of our fellow citizens have been victimized. Our prayers and thoughts are with the victims and their families, as well as our governor, mayor, and police officials. We stand by our law enforcement agencies and all the heroic first responders as they begin the process of fully investigating this act of terrorism, and bring to justice those responsible.
Today is Patriot's Day during which we remember the heroes of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, and the first battles of the American Revolutionary War. Annually on this day, the historic Boston Marathon takes place as a long-standing tradition which brings together diverse people from across our community, the nation, and around the world, to celebrate the virtues of hard work and perseverance in one of the world's most well-known sporting events. Let us not be deterred by this cowardly act of hatred, but stand united in the exercise of freedom and justice, as we pray for peace and love to reign in our society.
I ask our parishes throughout the Metropolis to offer prayers for the repose of the souls of those who tragically lost their lives today, and to pray for the healing of all those who were injured. May the God of Peace and Mercy bring His peace upon our community. I pray that you and your loved ones are safe and secure. We will continue to stay in touch as further details on this evolving tragedy emerge.
With Archpastoral Love,
+ Metropolitan Methodios
- Details
CWN - An American Orthodox bishop has resigned after being accused of sexual harassment.
Bishop Matthias, the leader of the Orthodox Church in America for the Midwest, had been placed on administrative leave last year after he was accused. He announced that he was stepping down from his post in order to promote healing in the diocese.
Additional sources for this story
Some links will take you to other sites, in a new window.
- Details
CWN - Chaldean Catholic Patriarch Louis Raphael I Sako paid tribute to all Christian martyrs during a pilgrimage to a shrine in Baghdad where more than 50 people were killed in an October 2010 massacre.
The Iraqi prelate spoke of the “glorious martyrs” who died at the cathedral of Our Lady of Salvation, noting that he was personally acquainted with several of those who were killed. He said: “Martyrs represent a living spiritual heritage that opens doors to new life and the future.”
The cathedral is the seat of the Syrian Catholic Church in Baghdad. The Chaldean Catholic leader thanked Archbishop Yousif Mansoor for hosting the pilgrimage, and underlined the common ties that bind the ancient Eastern churches of Iraq.
Additional sources for this story
Some links will take you to other sites, in a new window.
- Details
CWN - Archbishop Samir Nassar, the Maronite Catholic archbishop of Damascus, has told the Fides news agency that Syria’s Christians “must choose between two bitter chalices: to die or leave.”
Syrians, who “have seen the UN organize since 2005 the systematic departure of Iraqi refugees towards the West,” now note “the world’s indifference and silence in front of their long, sad ordeal … they are abandoned, destined to die without being able to escape.”
“To advise them to stay could lead to death like a lamb dumb before the butcher,” said Archbishop Nassar. “Our martyrology simply gets longer.”
On the other hand, “helping them leave means emptying the biblical land of its last Christians.”
Additional sources for this story
Some links will take you to other sites, in a new window.
- Details
Prot. N° 165/2013D
Damascus
8 April 2013
On Holy Friday, 29 March 2013, I made an appeal (the text of which is attached) to His Holiness, Pope Francis of Rome.
Today, I am making an appeal to the whole world, especially to the Heads of State of Arab countries, Western and Eastern Europe, North and South America, and to international organisations and Nobel Peace Prize winners.
I am making this same appeal as an Arab Syrian national and Greek Catholic Christian Patriarch resident in Damascus.
Syria is experiencing a lengthy, painful, bloody way of the cross stretching over all the country’s roads. All Muslim and Christian Syrians, both government and opposition, and armed groups from every quarter have all been carrying the same cross for over two years. Suffering has gone beyond all bounds. The crisis has mown down thousands upon thousands of soldiers, opponents, civilians, men, women, children, Muslim shaykhs and Christian priests.
The whole of Syria has become a battle-field. It has also become a place of bargaining and purchase of goods for cash only and in the interests of certain parties. Every aspect of democracy, human rights, freedom, secularism and citizenship is lost from view and no-one cares. Everywhere is manipulation, lies and hypocrisy: a faceless war, with faceless fighters.