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Christianity

Decoded: Olympics 2024 opening ceremony backlash over 'Last Supper' parody

Olympics 2024: According to the ceremony's artistic director, Thomas Jolly, the scene was designed to reference pagan gods, aimed at celebrating community tolerance

Decoded: Olympics 2024 opening ceremony backlash over 'Last Supper' parody
Updated On : 30 Jul 2024 | 11:45 AM IST

Orthodox Christmas: Why some believers celebrate it 13 days after Dec 25

While much of the world has Christmas in the rearview mirror by now, people in some Eastern Orthodox traditions will celebrate the holy day on Sunday. Certain Eastern Orthodox churches, including those in Russian and other traditions, follow the ancient Julian calendar, which runs 13 days later than the Gregorian calendar, used by Catholic and Protestant churches as well as by much of the secular world for everyday use. Other Orthodox, including those in the Greek tradition and, now, some Ukrainian churches, celebrate Christmas on the same date as Western churches. Why are there different dates for Christmas? Technically, there aren't. All Eastern Orthodox agree that December 25 is the date of Christmas, or the Feast of the Nativity, as they call it. The question is whether December 25 falls on December 25 or January 7. That requires a little unpacking. The ancient church set its religious feasts based on the Julian calendar, but after more than a millennium, that calendar had ...

Orthodox Christmas: Why some believers celebrate it 13 days after Dec 25
Updated On : 06 Jan 2024 | 1:04 PM IST

BJP relaunches 'Sneha Yatra' to connect with Christian community in Kerala

As the Lok Sabha polls are just months away, the BJP in Kerala resumed its 'Sneha Yatra' on Thursday -an outreach programme aimed at connecting with the Christian community in the state. The saffron party initially launched the initiative during this year's Easter. In a recent state committee meeting, the party decided to resume the yatra during the Christmas season. BJP state chief K Surendran visited Cardinal George Alencherry, the former head of the prominent Syro Malabar Church, at St Thomas Mount in nearby Kakkanad in the morning and conveyed Christmas greetings from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also visited Archbishop Joseph Kalathiparbil of the Latin Archdiocese of Verapoly, and conveyed the wishes of the Prime Minister. Surendran later said in a Facebook post that it marked the beginning of 'Sneha Yatra' in the state. He also shared photos of his cordial meetings with the church heads. However, the church authorities and the BJP leadership were yet to make clear the

BJP relaunches 'Sneha Yatra' to connect with Christian community in Kerala
Updated On : 21 Dec 2023 | 2:47 PM IST

Pope allows blessings for same-sex couples if they don't resemble marriage

Pope Francis has formally approved allowing priests to bless same-sex couples, with a new document explaining a radical change in Vatican policy by insisting that people seeking God's love and mercy shouldn't be subject to an exhaustive moral analysis to receive it. The document from the Vatican's doctrine office, released Monday, elaborates on a letter Francis sent to two conservative cardinals that was published in October. In that preliminary response, Francis suggested such blessings could be offered under some circumstances if they didn't confuse the ritual with the sacrament of marriage. The new document repeats that condition and elaborates on it, reaffirming that marriage is a lifelong sacrament between a man and a woman. And it stresses that blessings in question must be non-liturgical in nature and should not be conferred at the same time as a civil union, using set rituals or even with the clothing and gestures that belong in a wedding. But it says requests for such ...

Pope allows blessings for same-sex couples if they don't resemble marriage
Updated On : 18 Dec 2023 | 11:42 PM IST

Mob attack on Christians a part of hate campaign: Pak's top rights body

The recent mob attack on churches and Christian localities in Pakistan's Punjab province was a part of a larger hate campaign against the minority community, an independent human rights body has said, highlighting the involvement of radical Islamists and complicity of the police in the incident. On August 16, an enraged mob attacked scores of churches and Christian localities over blasphemy allegations against a Christian man in Jaranwala town of Faisalabad district, 130 km from Punjab's provincial capital Lahore. They also attacked a Christian cemetery and vandalised the office of the local assistant commissioner. Till now, police have arrested over 200 people including the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) activists in connection with the mob attack "The attack on the minority community cannot be entirely deemed as random or spontaneous, with a suspicion that it was orchestrated as part of a larger hate campaign against the local Christians while the role of police and its ability

Mob attack on Christians a part of hate campaign: Pak's top rights body
Updated On : 26 Aug 2023 | 7:22 PM IST

Former Pope Benedict XVI, whose resignation shook the Catholics, dies at 95

Benedict XVI passed away on Saturday at 9:34 AM in his residence, the official Vatican News agency said on Twitter

Former Pope Benedict XVI, whose resignation shook the Catholics, dies at 95
Updated On : 31 Dec 2022 | 4:13 PM IST

In court, Centre defends excluding Dalit Muslims, Christians from SC list

It told the Supreme Court the Ranganath Mishra Commission, which had recommended the inclusion of Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims in the SC list, took a myopic view of the issue and was 'flawed'

In court, Centre defends excluding Dalit Muslims, Christians from SC list
Updated On : 10 Nov 2022 | 12:30 PM IST

Devasahayam Pillai becomes first Indian layman to be declared saint by Pope

Pope Francis, 85, canonised Blessed Devasahayam during a Canonisation Mass in St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican.

Devasahayam Pillai becomes first Indian layman to be declared saint by Pope
Updated On : 16 May 2022 | 2:32 AM IST

Violence in the name of law

The government is increasingly devolving its authority over force, legitimising mob violence by non-state actors

Violence in the name of law
Updated On : 20 Jan 2022 | 11:33 PM IST

World is watching, says Rahul on reports of 'persecution' of Christians

'In times of injustice, silence is complicity,' the former Congress president said

World is watching, says Rahul on reports of 'persecution' of Christians
Updated On : 28 Dec 2021 | 8:20 PM IST

Amid pandemic, pope goes to Iraq to rally fading Christians

Pope Francis heads to Iraq on Friday to urge the country's dwindling number of Christians to stay put and help rebuild the country after years of war and persecution

Amid pandemic, pope goes to Iraq to rally fading Christians
Updated On : 05 Mar 2021 | 1:51 PM IST

Pope Francis says women can read at Mass, but still can't be priests

Pope Francis has changed church law to explicitly allow women to do more things during Mass, while reaffirming they cannot be priests

Pope Francis says women can read at Mass, but still can't be priests
Updated On : 11 Jan 2021 | 5:10 PM IST

US elections: Why Donald Trump still appeals to so many white evangelicals

Evangelicals who feel that "America is becoming a more difficult place for them to live," believe Trump hears their fears, takes them seriously, and responds

US elections: Why Donald Trump still appeals to so many white evangelicals
Updated On : 11 Sep 2020 | 7:38 AM IST

Sailor, soldier, spiceman, saint: Origin of Christianity in South Asia

An innovative mapping of the origins of Christianity in South Asia comes at a critical juncture of the Indian political discourse

Sailor, soldier, spiceman, saint: Origin of Christianity in South Asia
Updated On : 14 Jun 2019 | 9:51 PM IST

'Jesus in Asia' explains the interpretations of Christianity in continent

His disciples travelled through the lands bordering the Mediterranean through the first century, venturing to Asia Minor and North Africa

'Jesus in Asia' explains the interpretations of Christianity in continent
Updated On : 15 Jun 2018 | 11:37 PM IST