Christians in Gaza: ‘The ceasefire has made the situation even worse’
Group photo in front of the Church of the Sacred Family in Gaza during the visit of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, on Dec. 22, 2024. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Mar 7, 2025 / 16:50 pm (CNA).
Here are some of the major stories about the Church around the world that you may have missed over the past week:
Christians in Gaza: ‘The ceasefire has made the situation even worse’
Christian communities in the West Bank, Gaza, and Jerusalem say the situation for them has worsened under the current ceasefire, which has caused a proliferation of security checkpoints and roadblocks across the region that restrict their everyday lives.
“Honestly? For us, in the West Bank, the ceasefire has made the situation even worse,” the head of pastoral chaplaincy for the youth in the West Bank, Gaza, and Jerusalem, Father Louis Salman, told Aid to the Church in Need (ACN).
The Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, confirmed the situation, telling ACN in Jerusalem: “Absolutely, things in the West Bank are worse,” noting “hundreds of checkpoints” and other operations in the Palestinian city of Jenin, where 16,000 people were recently evicted from refugee camps.
In Nigeria, bishops speak out about Catholic school closures for Ramadan
Catholic bishops in Nigeria are speaking out as several northern Nigerian states have opted to force school closures during the period of Ramadan, a holy month of fasting for Muslims.
A March 3 statement from the Catholic bishops’ conference there expressed “deep concern” about the school closures, saying this will jeopardize the education and future of millions of both Christian and Muslim Nigerian children, exacerbating an “already alarming” rate of out-of-school children.
The only woman on Syrian ‘Committee of Seven’ is Catholic
The Committee of Seven, established by Syria’s new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, to draft the country’s new constitution, has just one woman in its ranks — a lawyer and expert in conflict resolution, Hind Kabawat — and she is a practicing Catholic.
Regarding the treatment of Christians in Syria, Kabawat said in an interview with AsiaNews this week that Syria has “taken some positive steps and some negative ones.” She said instances of violence against Christians in the region have been isolated and without escalation.
She further cited the memory of Italian Jesuit priest Father Paolo Dall’Oglio, who was kidnapped by ISIS in 2013.
“The memory of Father Paolo Dall’Oglio is still alive in us,” she said. “The spirit of Father Paolo was about building bridges, not walls. His work is still alive among us; from Day 1, we have been inspired by his Christian principles for a true national dialogue.”
Jordanian Catholics celebrate ordination of new Latin patriarchal vicar
Catholics in Jordan celebrated the episcopal ordination of Bishop Iyad Twal, who will now serve as the new Latin patriarchal vicar of Jordan.
Cardinal Pierbatista Pizzabala, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, presided over the ordination Mass at the baptismal site of Jesus Christ this past weekend, emphasizing the challenging times the Church faces.
According to ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, Pizzaballa spoke about the new bishop’s role in preaching the Gospel to the poor, healing broken hearts, and uplifting the weary, witnessing to God’s love in a world rife with hatred and despair.
At new church in Iraq, Chaldean patriarch leads first prayer
Chaldean Patriarch Cardinal Louis Rafael Sako led the first prayer service in the newly constructed Church of Ur in Iraq, which was constructed after Pope Francis’ visit to the country in 2021.
The special service was held on the fourth anniversary of the pope’s historic visit, according to ACI MENA, and included a Way of the Cross prayer and special intentions for the pope’s health, underscoring the ongoing spiritual and communal revival spurred by his visit.
Pope Francis blesses a young boy in the Syriac Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception in Bakhdida, Iraq, on March 7, 2021.
Zimbabwe government abolishes death penalty; bishops celebrate
Catholic bishops in Zimbabwe are celebrating the south African country’s recent move to abolish capital punishment.
The Episcopal Commission for Justice and Peace said in a statement that ending the death penalty there “is the result of cooperation and partnership between the Church, the government, and civil society.”
They added: “We recognize that the abolition of the death penalty is not an end in itself but a means to an end: the promotion of a culture of life, dignity, and respect for all people.”
Religious freedom win: Pakistani Christian escapes forced conversion
Sufya Masih, a 24-year-old Pakistani Christian man, won a major victory in court on Tuesday following a six-year-long ordeal against his former employer, who had fraudulently “converted” and attempted to enslave him.
Taking advantage of Masih’s illiteracy, his Muslim employer falsely registered him as a Muslim on his National Identity Card and attempted to enslave him, “withholding pay and prohibiting him from returning to his family,” according to his legal team at ADF International.
Following the court’s decision, Masih is now able to live freely and to legally register as a Christian.
German religious site now at risk despite UNESCO protection
A unique religious pilgrimage site under UNESCO protection in Germany faces an uncertain future in the midst of maintenance challenges.
The Jerusalem Panorama in Altötting, Bavaria — a 1,000-square-meter circular painting depicting Christ’s passion — is endangered, according to reports, as it undergoes complex repairs from water damage and declining rates of visitors.
More than 100 years old, the 1903 masterwork of German painter Gebhard Fugel is the only one of its kind in Europe.
