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Herald Malaysia
4 days ago
- Politics
- Herald Malaysia
Ut Unum Sint turns 30: A milestone for Christian unity
This year marks the 30th anniversary of Ut unum sint, Pope St John Paul II's landmark encyclical on ecumenism, signed on May 25, 1995, the Solemnity of the Ascension. Jun 06, 2025 (Aleteia/Hazem Bader This year marks the 30th anniversary of Ut unum sint, Pope St John Paul II's landmark encyclical on ecumenism, signed on May 25, 1995, the Solemnity of the Ascension. Building on Vatican II's Unitatis redintegratio, the document reaffirmed the Catholic Church's irrevocable commitment to Christian unity. Deacon Daniel Galadza, a professor at Rome's Pontifical Oriental Institute and member of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, notes how UUS affirms the term 'sister churches' for Eastern churches not in communion with Rome and embraces the image of the Church 'breathing with both lungs,' East and West. At its heart is Christ's desire 'that all may be one.' Though written three decades ago, UUS remains relevant today, especially as the Church celebrates another Jubilee Year. Many themes continue to echo, including ongoing dialogue with the Eastern Churches and growing signs of unity, such as Orthodox participation in papal liturgies and the return of relics to Constantinople. Deacon Galadza highlights Pope Leo XIV's recent audience with Eastern Catholics, a papal event that, though not overtly ecumenical, underscored the unity and mission of the Eastern Churches — both in and outside communion with Rome. He notes that Pope Leo's use of Eastern saints and his concern for Christians in conflict zones like the Middle East, Ukraine, and Tigray resonate deeply with Orthodox Christians. Looking ahead, Deacon Galadza says unity may still feel distant, but progress has been made. Gestures like the Ecumenical Patriarch's presence at Pope Leo's inauguration are powerful signs of hope, pointing towards the shared longing for full communion, one day, at the Eucharistic table. --Vatican News
Time of India
25-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
What is behind the mysterious bee phenomenon who do not cover God's face with their beehives
While science has completely different ways to prove the mysteries in the world, spirituality and religious faith in God has its own unique and mysterious connection that has been found not in churches or monasteries, but in beehives this time. Near Athens, in Greece, a devout beekeeper has been doing something unusual for over a decade. Rather than treating his hives as mere honey-producing boxes, he sees them as sacred spaces. Every spring, he lovingly places icons of Christ, the Virgin Mary, and various saints inside his beehives, hoping to bless the bees and their harvest and what follows is magic! They construct honeycombs around the icons, carefully avoiding the images themselves. What is the mystery all about? For more than ten years, Isidoros Ţiminis, a Catholic beekeeper from Kapandriti, a town near Athens, has followed a heartfelt tradition. Every spring, he gently places small religious icons pictures of Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and different saints inside his beehives. He does this to bless his bees and to pray for a good honey harvest each year. It might sound like a small gesture, but what happens next is truly amazing. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Don't Buy Expensive Solar Panels, Do This Instead! Solar Panel Funding Apply Now Undo As the bees build their honeycombs, they carefully work around the icons. They never cover the faces or bodies in the pictures. Somehow, the bees leave the images untouched, as if they know these icons are special and should be protected. A curious and recurrent pattern Observers have questioned whether the bees might be reacting to the material or scent of the icons, but there's no conclusive explanation. The repeated pattern of behavior, across different hives and years, has led to spiritual interpretations. As reported by Aleteia, this was further documented by a monk named Simon, who attempted the same practice. He introduced a handmade icon of the Crucified Christ flanked by the two thieves into one of the hives. The bees built their hive around the icon but 'refused to cover either Jesus or the figure of the 'good thief,' at Christ's right hand,' wrote Simon. The thief on Christ's left, who rejected salvation, was, however, completely covered in wax. There were other instances put to the test! The bees' selective reverence didn't end there. Monk Simon also tested another image, this time of St. Stephen the Proto-Martyr. Once again, the bees kept the saint's face and body untouched by the comb. These consistent patterns suggest something more than coincidence, yet the mystery remains as to how or why the bees exhibit such behavior. There are no clear answers, and perhaps there never will be. But as the years go by, these bees continue their silent homage to sacred images in their own unique way.
Morocco World
19-04-2025
- Politics
- Morocco World
Analyst: Moroccan Government Has Never Persecuted Christians
Doha – Morocco's rich Christian heritage dating back to Roman antiquity has flourished into a diplomatic cornerstone with the Vatican, according to Catholic news website Aleteia. The North African country continues to safeguard religious minorities despite its overwhelmingly Muslim demographic. The ancient territory now encompassing modern Morocco boasts Christian vestiges stretching back nearly two millennia. Volubilis, once the bustling capital of Roman Mauritania Tingitane, harbored early Christian communities forged by 'merchants, soldiers, and officials of the Roman Empire,' geopolitical analyst Jean-Baptiste Noé divulged to Aleteia. 'The Moroccan government has never persecuted Christians,' Noé illuminated in his analysis. This religious accommodation demarcates Morocco from numerous Muslim-majority states where Catholic worship confronts hostility or impediments. This receptiveness has spawned formidable diplomatic bonds between Morocco and the Holy See. Relations formally crystallized in 1976, culminating in King Hassan II's watershed visit to the Vatican in April 1980 – the first by a Muslim head of state to converge with the newly installed Pope. This diplomatic watershed galvanized another landmark rendezvous when Pope John Paul II ventured to Casablanca in August 1985. The Pope addressed over 100,000 young Moroccan Muslims at the city's stadium after traversing the streets alongside Hassan II in parallel vehicles. During this unparalleled congregation, the Pope articulated 'the importance of creation, God, respect for divine law, and prayer' – topics that transcended religious boundaries while demonstrating interfaith harmony at a time when the Islamic world grappled with the early tremors of extremism. Morocco has adroitly circumvented the tumult that has besieged adjacent territories. 'Even though Morocco experienced an Islamist electoral victory in the 2010s, it has always managed to keep at bay the upheavals and tensions that other countries experience, such as Egypt or neighboring Algeria,' Noé chronicled. This constancy has enshrined Morocco's singular position in Vatican diplomatic calculus. Pope Francis sojourned to the country in March 2019, conferring with King Mohammed VI and communing with the local Catholic flock. Months later, he consecrated Archbishop Cristobal Romero of Rabat as cardinal – an unprecedented accolade that Noé deciphered as 'a sign that dialogue with the Muslim world is one of the major points of the pontificate.' The analyst deduced that this appointment bestowed upon Morocco 'a new influence in the ecclesiastical geography,' asserting that 'for two thousand years, this region has occupied a special place in the Catholic Church.' Evidence of Christian acceptance manifests physically throughout the country. The Cathedral of Notre-Dame of the Assumption in Tangier was constructed in 1961, five years after the country's independence (1956). The analyst describes this as 'proof of the religious tolerance of the Sharifian kingdom where the king is nevertheless commander of the faithful.' Rabat's Saint Peter's Cathedral, inaugurated in 1921, exhibits a distinctive art deco architectural style. These edifices loom as palpable attestations to Morocco's persisting function as an interreligious conduit in a region frequently typified by schism. Read also: Moroccan Association Donates €10,000 to Support Pope's Visit to Corsica Tags: christianity in Morocco
