Latest news with #OrthodoxChurch
Telegraph
4 days ago
- General
- Telegraph
Egypt could close world's oldest Christian monastery
Egypt could close the oldest continuously functioning monastery in the world, prompting fury from Christians. St Catherine's, at the foot of Mount Sinai, was built by the order of the Byzantine emperor Justinian I between 548 and 565 and has operated as a religious community ever since. However, a court ruling in Cairo has sparked fears that the Orthodox institution will be forcibly turned into a museum and its approximately 20 monks evicted. According to the Egyptian press, the court ordered that ownership of the monastery's land be transferred to the Egyptian state. It has been reported that the decision was taken so the building could be converted into a museum. Less than a month ago, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Egypt 's president, publicly reassured the Greek government that the monastery would continue. Late on Thursday, his office issued a statement pledging 'full commitment to preserving the unique and sacred religious status of Saint Catherine's Monastery and preventing its violation'. However, there is widespread concern in the Christian world that the court ruling will result in the forcible closure of the monastery and the eviction of the monks. Mount Sinai holds theological significance because it is reputed to be where God spoke to Moses through the burning bush, tasking him with leading the chosen people out of Egypt. It is also the reported location where the 10 Commandments were handed down to Moses. St Catherine's Basilica, with its intricate mosaics, is considered a treasure trove of Byzantine-era religious art. News of the court ruling prompted an impassioned protest from Ierenemos II, the Archbishop of Athens and All Greece. 'Following yesterday's scandalous ruling, a violent infringement of human rights and, more specifically, of religious freedoms by Egypt's judicial authorities, the world's oldest Orthodox Christian monument, the Monastery of Mount Sinai, is entering a period of great trial – one that evokes memories of darker times in history,' a statement read. 'I unequivocally condemn any attempt to alter the longstanding status that has prevailed in this region for fifteen centuries. I call upon the responsible Greek government – and personally upon prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis [of Greece] – to take immediate and appropriate action to restore lawful order and ensure that the Holy Monastery is not effectively abolished.' Meanwhile, Greek government sources said they would attempt to work with the Egyptian authorities to hold the country to the commitments given by President Sisi during his visit to Greece on May 7. A spokesman for Mr Sisi's office said: 'The Presidency affirms that the recent court ruling consolidates this status, aligning with the points President El-Sisi emphasised during his recent visit to Athens on May 7. 'The Presidency also affirms the importance of preserving the close and fraternal relations that bind the two countries and peoples and ensuring that they are not jeopardised.'
Russia Today
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
US de facto financing persecution of Christians in Ukraine
The US is essentially facilitating the persecution of Christians in Ukraine by supporting the Kiev government, which has been waging a purge campaign against the nation's canonical Orthodox church, American journalist Tucker Carlson has said. Carlson made the statement during an interview with a former Ukrainian MP, Vadim Novinsky, released on Friday. 'Every day, churches and temples are seized by soldiers with machine guns who come in, throw out priests, beat believers, children, old people, women…' the former lawmaker stated, adding that 'it is happening all over Ukraine.' 'I think very few Americans understand the degree to which the Ukrainian government under [Vladimir] Zelensky has persecuted the Ukrainian Orthodox Church,' Carlson said. The former Fox News host then asked Novinsky what he would like to say to the American lawmakers who have nevertheless approved financial aid to Kiev. 'The Speaker of the House of the United States Congress is a man who describes himself as a Christian and he has been paying for this,' the journalist said, referring to Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican. The former Ukrainian MP replied that he would like to see the US aid going directly to ordinary Ukrainians and not the authorities, who 'live in parallel realities.' US government agencies appropriated a total of $182.8 billion on various forms of assistance to Kiev between 2022 and the end of 2024, according to Ukraine Oversight, an official portal that tracks such expenditures. Last week, US President Donald Trump stated he was concerned that billions of dollars were being wasted on aid to Ukraine. He said Congress was 'very upset about it' and that lawmakers were asking where all the money was going. Kiev has accused the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) of maintaining ties to Russia even though it declared independence from the Moscow Patriarchate in May 2022. The crackdown has included numerous arrests of clergymen and church raids, one of the most notorious of which took place in the catacombs of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, where holy relics are kept. Last year, Zelensky signed legislation allowing the state to ban religious organizations affiliated with governments that Kiev deems 'aggressors,' effectively targeting the UOC. Earlier this week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Moscow would not abandon the Orthodox believers in Ukraine and vowed to make sure that 'their lawful rights are respected.'
Euronews
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Euronews
Sabotage causes power cut in Nice after Cannes
Following the Cannes festivities, the city of Nice experienced a power outage on Saturday night, leaving nearly 45,000 homes temporarily without electricity. According to the public prosecutor's office, a fire broke out at an electrical transformer in the Moulins district, in the west of Nice. Nice Mayor Christian Estrosi said the fire had been deliberately started and that he "strongly condemned these malicious acts that affect our country" in a post on X. He added that the city would be strengthening its security around electrical sites in the coming days and that a formal complaint would be filed following the incident. Power was restored around 6 a.m. on Sunday. The neighboring towns of Saint-Laurent-du-Var and Cagnes-sur-Mer were also affected by the blackout. The incident follows a blackout that struck Cannes and the surrounding region the previous day, affecting nearly 160,000 homes. Authorities say the outage was caused by deliberate acts of sabotage. A high-voltage substation was set on fire in the Var department, and a power pylon was sawn down in the Alpes-Maritimes. Despite the disruption, the Cannes Film Festival proceeded as planned on its final day, thanks to its independent power supply. Electricity was restored to the region by late afternoon. At this stage, there is no indication that the two incidents are connected. Bulgarians turned out en masse on Saturday to honour the legacy of Saint Cyril and Methodius, the founders of the Cyrillic alphabet, during one of their most important cultural and national holidays in the Balkan country. People gathered to lay flowers at the base of a statue of the two Orthodox Church saints in central Sofia. The two were born in today's Greece in the 9th century and are credited with creating Glagolic, an alphabet that was later adapted by multiple scholars across the Balkans and evolved into the Cyrillic alphabet. "The biggest and most significant gift that the holy brothers Cyril and Methodius left to Bulgaria was writing," Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Jelyazkov said during the formal ceremony in Sofia. The mayor of Sofia, who spoke at the ceremony, also reminded the crowd of the influence language holds. 'Let us remember not only what we say but how we say it – words have power. They can unite, they can heal, they can inspire,' Mayor Vasil Teziev said. St Cyril and Methodius left a legacy that goes beyond the development of the Cyrillic and Glagolitic alphabets. In the Slavic world and Bulgaria alike, their work represents a watershed moment for the Orthodox Church and Balkan cultural heritage. Sometimes referred to in Bulgaria as "Spiritual Easter," 11 May and 24 May are now recognised as the "Days of Bulgarian Education and Culture and of the Slavic Alphabet." Today, the Cyrillic alphabet is used by Slavic, Turkic, Uralic, Caucasian and other nations, including Mongolia, which adopted it in 1941.
Euronews
25-05-2025
- General
- Euronews
Bulgaria fetes Glagolitic script fathers on St Cyril and Methodius Day
Bulgarians turned out en masse on Saturday to honour the legacy of Saint Cyril and Methodius, the founders of the Cyrillic alphabet, during one of their most important cultural and national holidays in the Balkan country. People gathered to lay flowers at the base of a statue of the two Orthodox Church saints in central Sofia. The two were born in today's Greece in the 9th century and are credited with creating Glagolic, an alphabet that was later adapted by multiple scholars across the Balkans and evolved into the Cyrillic alphabet. "The biggest and most significant gift that the holy brothers Cyril and Methodius left to Bulgaria was writing," Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov said during the formal ceremony in Sofia. The mayor of Sofia, who spoke at the ceremony, also reminded the crowd of the influence language holds. 'Let us remember not only what we say but how we say it – words have power. They can unite, they can heal, they can inspire,' Mayor Vasil Teziev said. St Cyril and Methodius left a legacy that goes beyond the development of the Cyrillic and Glagolitic alphabets. In the Slavic world and Bulgaria alike, their work represents a watershed moment for the Orthodox Church and Balkan cultural heritage. Sometimes referred to in Bulgaria as "Spiritual Easter," 11 May and 24 May are now recognised as the "Days of Bulgarian Education and Culture and of the Slavic Alphabet." Today, the Cyrillic alphabet is used by Slavic, Turkic, Uralic, Caucasian and other nations, including Mongolia, which adopted it in 1941.
Euronews
24-05-2025
- Business
- Euronews
Bulgarians pay tribute to ancient founders of Slavic Script
Bulgarians turned out en masse on Saturday to honour the legacy of Saints Cyril and Methodius, the ancient founders of the Cyrillic alphabet, during one of their most important cultural and national holidays named after the two brothers. People gathered to lay flowers at the base of a statue of Cyril and Methodius in central Sofia, the capital. The saints were born in today's Greece in the 9th century and are credited with creating an alphabet for the Slavic people that was later adapted during the first Bulgarian Empire, which later evolved into the Cyrillic alphabet. "The biggest and most significant gift that the holy brothers Cyril and Methodius left to Bulgaria was writing," Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov said during the formal ceremony in Sofia. The mayor of Sofia, who spoke at the ceremony, also reminded the crowd of the influence language holds. Saints Cyril and Methodius left behind a legacy that goes much beyond the development of the Cyrillic and Glagolitic alphabets. In the Slavic world and Bulgaria's cultural and spiritual evolution, their work represents a watershed moment in the history of the Orthodox Church and the country's contribution to Christianity. Sometimes called a "Spiritual Easter," 11 May and 24 May are now recognised as the Days of Bulgarian Education and Culture and of the Slavic Alphabet. Today, the majority of Slavic nations use the Cyrillic alphabet, including Mongolia, which adopted the script in 1941. Syrians on the streets of Damascus on Saturday welcomed the move by the Trump administration to ease sanctions imposed on the war-torn country. Their celebration follows the formal easing of sanctions by the EU earlier this week and that of the US announced last week during US President Donald Trump's Middle East tour. 'Yesterday, when I read the news that the Caesar sanctions are actually being lifted, especially after the reports we heard in recent weeks, I honestly cried," a resident, Zeina Shahla, told local media. "We're finally seeing real steps toward the country's recovery,' she added. The sanctions relief follows the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024. On Tuesday, the EU said it adopted a gradual and reversible approach in order to support Syria's transition and economic recovery, which followed the suspension of some economic sanctions in February. For the US, the congressional sanctions, known as the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, aimed to isolate Syria's previous rulers by effectively expelling those doing business with them from the global financial system. However, a Treasury Department action has now suspended enforcement of sanctions against anyone doing business with a range of Syrian individuals and entities, including Syria's central bank. And a measure by the State Department waived for six months a tough set of sanctions imposed by Congress in 2019. They specifically block post-war reconstruction, so while they can be waived for 180 days by executive order, investors are likely to be wary of reconstruction projects when sanctions could be reinstated after six months. US President Donald Trump granted Syria sweeping exemptions from sanctions in a major first step toward fulfilling his pledge to lift a half-century of penalties on a country shattered by 14 years of civil war. Syria's foreign ministry said Saturday that the country 'extends its hand' to anyone that wants to cooperate with Damascus, on the condition that there is no intervention in the country's internal affairs. On Friday, the Trump administration said the actions were 'just one part of a broader US government effort to remove the full architecture of sanctions.' Those penalties had been imposed on the Assad family for their support of Iranian-backed militias, their chemical weapons programme and abuse of civilians. Damascus resident Nael Kaddah said now that the sanctions are being eased, the country will flourish again. For Kaddah, Syrians will be able to transfer money freely, unlike in the past when there were several companies that monopolized the business and took large commissions on transfers. 'Now any citizen can receive a transfer from anywhere in the world,' he said. The EU and the US say the removal of sanctions aims to give the interim Syrian government a better chance of survival, a key decision that the administration in Damascus has welcomed.
