Christians in Aleppo feel an uneasy calm amid rebel takeover of Syrian city December 5, 2024By Dale Gavlak OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, World News An uneasy calm hangs over Aleppo, Christian leaders report, following the recent lightning takeover of Syria’s second-largest city by Islamist rebels driving out forces of Syrian President Bashar Assad. Concerns also mount over government airstrikes.
‘The situation is catastrophic,’ Lebanese Catholic charity workers say October 10, 2024By Dale Gavlak OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News As Lebanon plunged into the worst humanitarian crisis in decades, Catholics and other Christians continue their humanitarian outreach to help struggling Lebanese, Syrian refugees and migrant workers displaced by severe Israeli bombardments across the country, ongoing since late September, some of which have also injured Christians.
Since Oct. 7 attacks and start of war, pope calls Gaza every day, lifting up suffering community October 2, 2024By Dale Gavlak OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Since Hamas’ attack on Israel Oct. 7, 2023, and the immediate start of the Israel-Hamas war, Pope Francis has provided daily spiritual solace to Gaza Strip’s only Catholic parish.
‘Catastrophic’ situation faces Lebanon, says U.N. rep September 30, 2024By Dale Gavlak OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News Hezbollah’s central headquarters in Beirut’s southern suburbs were struck multiple times Sept. 27 by Israeli missiles, shaking the Lebanese capital. The next day Iran-backed Hezbollah confirmed the military organization’s leader Hassan Nasrallah died in the strike.
Lebanese cardinal condemns pager attacks as second wave terrorizes the country September 19, 2024By Dale Gavlak OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News Catholic church leaders in the Middle East condemned a second wave of explosions of hand-held devices across Lebanon and in the capital, Beirut, apparently targeting the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group.
Iraq marks 10th anniversary of ‘collective’ tragedy under Islamic State group’s terror August 9, 2024By Dale Gavlak OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, World News As Iraq marked 10th anniversary of Islamic State group-induced terror recognized by the United Nations as genocide, and subsequent tragic Christian exodus, a top Iraq cardinal said that evil will not last and Christians called for more support for Iraq’s ancient Yezidi community still struggling for restitution and justice.
Amid devastation of Israel-Hamas war, miracles happen, says Caritas Jerusalem August 1, 2024By Dale Gavlak OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Disaster Relief, Feature, News, World News The staff of the international Catholic relief arm Caritas Jerusalem are expressing praise and gratitude for God’s seeming miraculous intervention on a Gaza church compound July 29.
Church-run school in Jordan for Iraqi refugee children educates, saves lives June 21, 2024By Dale Gavlak OSV News Filed Under: Immigration and Migration, News, World News Father Khalil Ja’ar, pastor at Mary Mother of the Church, who runs the school, aids Iraqi Christians who escaped from Islamic State militants to neighboring Jordan.
10 years after Islamic State group’s bloody rampage, Iraq’s displaced Christians still struggle June 9, 2024By Dale Gavlak OSV News Filed Under: News, World News For Iraqi Catholics, it’s a date they will never forget. The takeover of Mosul by militants of the Islamic State group 10 years ago began their bloody and destructive rampage over the weeks that followed through the country’s ancestral heartland which Christians called home for the past 16 centuries.
As Iran hits northern Iraq, prelate says Middle East is ‘like a volcano,’ Christians are targeted January 17, 2024By Dale Gavlak OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, World News The Iraqi Catholic community feels unsettled after Iran launched ballistic missiles, striking upscale neighborhoods of Irbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, signaling the latest spate of violence targeting northern Iraq.
Syria sees ‘worst situation ever’ as World Food Program cuts off aid to war-torn country January 10, 2024By Dale Gavlak OSV News Filed Under: Disaster Relief, Feature, News, World News Catholics warn that Syrians are on the brink of starvation as the United Nations food program cuts off its assistance in the country this month.
Middle East Christians sad, but hopeful on Christmas amid constant Gaza bombardment December 28, 2023By Dale Gavlak OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News Amid ongoing bombardment of the Gaza Strip by the Israeli military — despite the Christmas season — Christian clergymen in the Middle East are decrying attacks on their community’s dwindling numbers.
