Eastern Christianity – Page 10

Coptic Church celebrates the Lord’s nativity amid tragedy, oppression

The Coptic Church, along with other non-Chalcedonian churches, are celebrating Christmas today. Besides some Christological differences, the Copts (the Egyptian Orthodox Christians; there are Coptic Catholics, too!) follow the Julian calendar which is a number of days behind the Gregorian calendar. About 10% of the Egyptians are Christian.

In this season of Christian-killing by fanatical muslims, truly a season of martyrdom, let us pray for the Copts and give thanks for their witness to Christ. Blessings to Pope Shenouda III. Merry Christmas.

Ahmed al-Tayeb criticizes Benedict for interfering in Egypt; AND a response given

Jesuit Father
Federico Lombardi, Director of the Holy See Press Office, responded to what I
believe is unfair, even bigoted criticism of Pope Benedict by Imam Ahmed al-Tayeb of Egypt
following the January 1st bombing of a Coptic Orthodox church. 21 dead and
nearly a 100 wounded. Clear it is to me, the Muslim world rarely pays close attention to what the Catholic Church believes and what the Pope says.

Ahmed al-Tayeb, current current Imam of al-Azhar Mosque,
condemned the bombing. The imam paid a visit to the head of the Coptic Orthodox
Church, Pope Shenouda III to offer condolences. But his good will toward the
Christians however, also include a strident criticism Pope Benedict who asked civil
authorities to protect Christians. In Al-Tayeb’s mind the Pope’s request was an
“unacceptable interference in Egypt’s affairs.” Further, said al-Tayeb, “I
disagree with the Pope’s view, and I ask why did the Pope not call for the
protection of Muslims when they were subjected to killings in Iraq?”

Continue reading Ahmed al-Tayeb criticizes Benedict for interfering in Egypt; AND a response given

Egypt’s civil & religious leaders condemn attack

The various news agencies are reporting that Egypt’s civil and religious leaders are condemning the New Year’s Eve suicide bombing of a Coptic Church which killed 21 people and wounded a reported 100 others. The attack happened with 30 minutes of 2011.

Pope Shenouda III joined with the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed al-Tayeb, the Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa and the Egyptian government’s Minister for Religious Affairs, Mahmud Hamdi Zaqzuq at a press conference condemning the attack.

Continue reading Egypt’s civil & religious leaders condemn attack

Egyptian fanatical Muslims offend God, Pope says

“An offense
against God and all humanity,” Pope Benedict XVI told those gathered in St Peter’s Square for the praying of the Angelus and an address in which he described the
New Year’s eve bombing of a Coptic Orthodox Church in Alexandria, Egypt. There’s been a consistent campaign to terrorize and kill Christians in Arab nations. This was the latest round of Muslim attacks.

The Pope said “Yesterday morning we learned with sorrow the
news of the serious attack against the Coptic Christian community in
Alexandria, Egypt. This vile act of death, such as planting bombs close to the
homes of Christians in Iraq to force them to leave, offends God and all
humanity, who only yesterday prayed for peace and began the New Year with
hope”.

The Holy Father appealed for Christians to recall the Gospel
teachings of non-violence: “Before this strategy of violence that has targeted
Christians, and has consequences for the whole population, I pray for the
victims and family members, and encourage church communities to persevere in
faith and witness to non-violence that comes from the Gospel”.

“Today we
continue to contemplate the divine mystery of Jesus Christ, born in Bethlehem
of the Virgin Mary. He is the Word of God made flesh for our salvation, the
Wisdom of God who has come to enlighten us. Let us always cherish this presence
of Jesus who brings us grace and truth! I wish you all a pleasant Sunday and
renew my good wishes for a Happy New Year!”

… as Christians “we remain united
in Christ, our hope and our peace!”

Christmas at Our Lady of Salvation Cathedral, Baghdad 2010

The commemoration of the Nativity of the Lord in all places of the world moves my heart as it does for all people of good will. More than ever the Christmas observance in Baghdad at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Salvation, the place of the brutal killings of Christians –laity and clergy alike– on October 31, 2010.

May the newborn Savior, Jesus –Emmanuel– lead us more deeply into our humanity

and to perfect union with God the Father.

Victim of attack on Baghdad Church speak out

The victims of the Church bombing in Baghdad on October 31st speak out. Rome Reports interviews those who healing from the attack.

Many are resolved not to be thrown to the curb because of their faith in Christ. The home is Baghdad; their culture is situated in Baghdad. Why can’t they live in peace?

Watch the interview.

Pope met Iraqi Catholics receiving medical treatment

The Catholic News Service reported tonight that…

Pope
Benedict XVI met privately Dec. 1 with two dozen Iraqis who were injured when
their cathedral in Baghdad was attacked Oct. 31. In early November, the Italian
foreign ministry arranged for 26 injured Iraqis — including three children —
and 21 accompanying family members to fly to Rome. The injured were treated at
the Gemelli Hospital and their family members were housed in apartments
belonging to the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, which operates the
hospital. Nicola Cerbino, hospital spokesman, said Dec. 1 that only two of the
injured were still hospitalized, but they were well enough to travel with their
family members to the Vatican for the brief audience with the pope. The entire
Iraqi group — close to 50 people — will remain guests of the university until
mid-December, Cerbino said. After that, the Italian foreign minister will help
them return home or settle elsewhere, he said. Fifty-eight people died in the
attack on the Syrian Catholic church in Baghdad Oct. 31 after military
officials tried to end a terrorist siege of the church.

Communion & Liberation invites prayer for Iraqi Christians on Sunday

Communion and Liberation follows the call of the
Italian bishops to pray Sunday, November 21 for the Christians of Iraq, “who
are suffering the tremendous trial of blood witness to the faith” (Final
communiqué of the Assembly of the Italian Episcopal Conference, November 11, 2010).

The
Movement invites all its members to participate in Mass according to the
intentions of Benedict XVI, who the day after the grave attack in the Syrian
Catholic cathedral of Baghdad that left dozens dead and wounded, said, “I pray
for the victims of this absurd violence, all the more savage because it struck
defenseless people gathered in God’s house, which is a house of love and
reconciliation. I also express my affectionate closeness to the Christian
community, struck once again, and encourage the pastors and faithful to be
strong and steady in hope. In the face of the heinous episodes of violence that
continue tearing the populations of the Middle East to pieces, I renew my
grieved call for peace: it is the gift of God, but also the result of the
efforts of people of good will, of national and international institutions. May
everyone join their strengths to put an end to all violence! (Comments after
the Angelus, November 1, 2010).

Addressing all members of Communion and
Liberation, Fr. Julián Carrón said that “participation in Sunday Mass according
to the intentions of the Pope and the bishops is a gesture of real communion
and charity because we feel that the Christians of Iraq are our friends, even
if we do not know them directly.”

As Fr. Giussani said, “If the sacrifice is
accepting the circumstances of life, as they happen, because they make us
correspondent, participants in the death of Christ, then sacrifice becomes the
keystone of all life […] but also the keystone for understanding the history of
man. The entire history of man depends on that man dead on the cross, and I can
influence the history of man – I can influence the people who live in Japan
now, the people in danger at sea now; I can intervene to help the pain of the
women who lose their children now, in this moment – if I accept the sacrifice
that this moment imposes.” (L. Giussani, Is It Possible to Live This Way? Book
3: Charity, McGill-Queen’s University Press, pp. 74-75.)

For this reason, added
Carrón, “if a gesture of prayer can influence the change of people in Japan, it
can also change something in Iraq. May the sacrifice we make for the Christians
of Iraq and Sunday’s prayer be a gesture with which we invoke, implore from God
protection for them.”

The Communion & Liberation Press Office

Milan, Italy

November 18, 2010

Saint Vladimir’s relics visit the USA

The privilege of having the relics of one’s patron coming to your home is a singular experience. Friends who are seminarians at Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary welcomed their patron’s relics in solemn ceremony this past weekend.

An 11th century saint, Saint Vladimir is known in the Orthodox Church as the Holy and Great Prince Vladimir, Equal-to-the-Apostles who first experienced a dramatic conversion to Christ. He is credited with bringing Christianity to various places in Russia.

Saint Vladimir’s feast is commemorated in both the Orthodox and Latin Churches on July 15.

The press release of the veneration is here with yet another here.

Thanks to Deacon Dustin Lyon for the photos.

Writing letters of solidarity with the Christians in Iraq

As a way of
showing solidarity with our Christian brothers and sisters in Iraq who faced
such horrible circumstances because of their faith Jesus Christ, I am extendiing
an invitation to all of us: writing letter(s) of fraternal solidarity with our
brothers and sisters through the Chaldean Catholic Patriarch, His Beatitude, Patriarch Emmanuel III Delly. He’s the head of the Conference of Catholic Bishops in Iraq.

An initiative of solidarity is proposed by members of Communion and Liberation

Our many friends
in the lay Catholic movement, Communion and Liberation have also moved by the
plight of Iraqi Christians has organized a gesture of solidarity with the Iraqi
Christians in the form of a letter campaign. One of our friends spoke with the Apostolic
Nuncio (the Pope’s ambassador) at the UN, Archbishop Francis Assisi Chullikatt who
said he’d be very happy for our initiative and offered his diplomatic pouch
(direct mail) to reach the Nunciature in Iraq.

So, if you are inclined to write an email in solidarity, you
may send it to tonuncio@gmail.com
and the email will be printed and hand-delivered to Archbishop
Chullikatt on Tuesday, November 16.

Messages ought to be addressed to His Beatitude, Patriarch Emmanuel
III Delly, Patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans.