Macedonia: Persecution of Serbian Church
On Thursday, May 24th 17 Serbian Orthodox monks, nuns and other believers were released from prison, having been detained for two days on alleged tax evasion charges. Churches and Monasteries have been systematically raided recently as part of a fresh crackdown on the Serbian Orthodox Church in Macedonia. Rights investigators have linked these and other raids to the government's refusal to register the Serbian Orthodox Church in Macedonia. An Interior Ministry blacklist lists over 20 Serbian Orthodox bishops banned from entering Macedonia. The Serbian Orthodox Church Synod in Belgrade condemned as ‘political and not judicial’ the sentence of two and half years to Archbishop Jovan, in Idrizovo prison. It’s not clear how the EU will react to these developments. Macedonia is seeking membership of the EU and the NATO military alliance. Tensions over religious and national identities are a left-over of the 1990’s Balkan wars.
Pray: against the desire to eradicate the Church in Macedonia, and pray for a modern and democratic approach to Christianity. (Ps.135:13)
More: http://www.bosnewslife.com/21798-breaking-news-macedonia-frees-nuns-monks-but-confiscates-passports
Macedonia: Persecution of Serbian Church
On Thursday, May 24th 17 Serbian Orthodox monks, nuns and other believers were released from prison, having been detained for two days on alleged tax evasion charges. Churches and Monasteries have been systematically raided recently as part of a fresh crackdown on the Serbian Orthodox Church in Macedonia. Rights investigators have linked these and other raids to the government's refusal to register the Serbian Orthodox Church in Macedonia. An Interior Ministry blacklist lists over 20 Serbian Orthodox bishops banned from entering Macedonia. The Serbian Orthodox Church Synod in Belgrade condemned as ‘political and not judicial’ the sentence of two and half years to Archbishop Jovan, in Idrizovo prison. It’s not clear how the EU will react to these developments. Macedonia is seeking membership of the EU and the NATO military alliance. Tensions over religious and national identities are a left-over of the 1990’s Balkan wars.
Pray: against the desire to eradicate the Church in Macedonia, and pray for a modern and democratic approach to Christianity. (Ps.135:13)
More: http://www.bosnewslife.com/21798-breaking-news-macedonia-frees-nuns-monks-but-confiscates-passports
Egypt: Coptic Christians live in garbage city
Coptic Christians are 11-15% of Egypt’s population and the largest Christian community in the Middle East. The Zabbaleen, known in Arabic as ‘the garbage collectors,’ are the largest single concentration of Egyptian Coptics (70,000). For eight generations they have been Cairo’s unofficial trash collectors, living in harsh conditions harvesting garbage from streets and businesses and transporting it to their communities in the hills where it is sorted and sold. Father Samaan Ibrahim presides over the Zabbaleen’s ‘garbage city. His church has supported many of the social services vital to the Zabbaleen people since the 1970’s. Like many in Egypt Samaan is uneasy about the future. Sectarian attacks have increased over the past year and conditions in the community have not improved since the fall of Hosni Mubarak’s government. ‘We are awaiting the new constitution that we might expect something good for us in it, especially the article concerning building churches in Egypt,’ he says. The building or repair of churches is outlawed.
Pray: for those who are and may become leaders in Egypt to represent the values of a society which God can bless; and for positive reforms for Christians.(1Tim. 2:1-2)
Afghanistan: Education and exit
Thousands of boys and girls receive the education that will help them improve their lives and their country. But the insurgents still try to close down the schools' especially those that girls attend, by threatening teachers and students, burning school buildings and poisoning the schools water supplies. Some rural schools have remained closed. Please pray for the safety of teachers and students; for the insurgents to stop using fear and intimidation to close schools and for more teachers to be trained. The coalition forces have begun to hand over responsibility for security to the local army and police on a region by region basis. Ultimately all security will be the responsibility of local army and police. Pray for wisdom for all during this process so that security of the country will be safeguarded and the people will be able to lead their lives in peace and security. Pray for true religious freedom in Afghanistan.
Pray: that the number of believers would continue to increase and mature, and for millions in the area to seek and find the Way the Truth and the Life.(Jn.14:6)
More: http://www.afghantimes.com/
