The Assyrian community of Türkiye has celebrated their Yaldo feast, the first religious holiday of Christians and symbolizing the birth of Jesus, marking the inception of days-long festivities. As part of the annual observance of Assyrian people's Yaldho or feast of nativity, widely known as Christmas by other Christian communities, adherents will fast for ten days, abstaining from meals...
By Justin McLellan
After Pope Francis prayed on Christmas Day for Syrian Christians facing uncertainty amid the country's regime change, the leader of the Catholic Church in neighboring Iraq said the toppling of the regime left Christians in the region feeling "tense.
Assyrians in Iraq attend mass on Christmas Eve at the Mar Behnam and Sarah Syriac Catholic Church in Baghdede (Al-Hamdaniya), Iraq, December 24, 2024. ...
By Mohamad El Chamaa, Salwan Georges
DAMASCUS -- This Christmas morning in Syria's capital, Christians dressed in their finest clothes, attended church and participated in the annual parade through the ancient part of the city. Yet beneath the holiday cheer lay a heavy sense of anxiety. Over the past 13 years, many have fled the country, leaving those who remain feeling particularly vulnerable as an Islamist group assumes power.
The Chaldean Patriarch of Iraq and the World, Cardinal Louis Sako, considered the participation of PM Mohammed S. Al-Sudani in Christmas Mass in Baghdad as respect for the Christian component. "We welcome the presence of PM Al-Sudani, and we are happy with his participation in this holiday because Jesus Christ is not only for Christians but for all people.
The burning of a Christmas tree near Hama has sparked protests across Syria, with thousands taking to the streets to demand protection for religious minorities from the country's new rulers. Syria is home to a diverse array of ethnic and religious groups, including Kurds, Armenians, Assyrians, Christians, Druze, Alawite Shias, and Sunni Arabs, the latter forming the majority of the Muslim...
By Feyyaz Kerimo
(AINA) -- The collapse of the Syrian regime has added yet another chapter to the cycle of deep crises that perpetually plague the Middle East. Yet, these devastations increasingly render ancient peoples, burdened by the weight of historical memory, invisible.
Milan -- Iraqi Christians are preparing for a Christmas of 'expectation and concern' for the regional situation, from Syria to Lebanon passing through the Holy Land in a crescendo of bloodshed and violence that is burning large areas of the Middle East. The Patriarch of Baghdad of the Chaldeans, Card.
By Lena Argiri
In a region undergoing profound structural changes and historic power realignments, the Republic of Cyprus is not just observing the shifting dynamics, but actively seeking a role for itself in shaping the future.
By Amina Ismail and Firas Makdesi
Damascus (Reuters) -- Syrian church leaders are advising Christians to scale back Christmas celebrations this year, despite assurances from the Islamists who have just taken power that they are free to practise their religion.
By Ferran Barber
(AINA) -- On December 10, the Spanish newspaper El Mundo published a long report on the situation of the Assyrians in Syria that included a few brief statements by the Secretary General of the Assyrian Democratic Organization (ADO), Gabriel Moshe. These statements were only a small portion of the long interview that the Spanish reporter Ferran Barber conducted with Gabriel Moshe.
The Armenian Apostolic Church on Saturday commemorates St Apkar (Abgar), a martyr of the church and our first Christian King. According to Armenian tradition, St Abgar was the first Christian king of the 1st century, the son of the Parthian king Arshakunie Arsham. He was also called "senior man" as he was the wisest of all and a genius.