Page 55 - Religion Belief
Religious freedom not just 'freedom of worship': Pope in Gulf
Pope Francis Monday called for "the full recognition" of rights for people of all faiths from the UAE, the first visit by the head of the Catholic church to the Arabian Peninsula. The pope called for the "full recognition of the other and his or her freedom" in a meeting with Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, the top Sunni Muslim cleric. Religious freedom "is not limited only to freedom of worship but sees in the other truly a brother or sister, a child of my own humanity whom God leaves free and whom, therefore, no human institution can coerce, not even in God's name", Pope Francis said.
'Violence' in God's name cannot be justified, pope says in UAE
Pope Francis on Monday rejected "hatred and violence" in the name of God, on the first visit by the head of the Catholic church to the Muslim-majority Arabian Peninsula. The pontiff, who met with the world's top Sunni Muslim cleric in Abu Dhabi, said "every form of violence must be condemned without hesitation... No violence can be justified in the name of religion". The pope arrived in Abu Dhabi on Sunday night for a three-day visit, during which he will lead a historical open-air mass for some 135,000 Catholics.
Purification ritual at Sabarimala not due to women entry:
Sabarimala temple Tantri (head priest) Kandararu Rajeevaru Monday described as 'baseless', the allegation that the purification ritual he conducted at the Ayyappa shrine on January 2 was due to the entry of the two women of menstruating age. In his 11-page explanation to the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which manages the Sabarimala temple, he said the ritual was held to restore the 'grace' of the deity, which was lost as the temple faced many controversies and allegations during the Chithira Atta celebrations and the Mandala-Makaravilaku festival. "The temple was facing many issues during the Chithira Aatta celebration and mandala-makaravilakku festival. When such issues come up, we need to perform a purification ceremony to revive the lost grace of the deity," Tantri said in his explanation. He also said that since there was no puja on December 31, 2018, the next day-January 1, 2019, witnessed huge crowds, prompting him to perform the ritual on January 2. "Hence, ...
Pope Francis makes history with Muslim dialogue in UAE
Pope Francis, the first leader of the world's 1.3 billion Catholics to visit the Arabian Peninsula, will attend an interfaith meeting in the UAE on Monday as part of his outreach to Muslims. The pontiff arrived in a modest black Kia at Abu Dhabi's presidential palace, where he was welcomed with a lavish military parade. Officers fired 21 shots in the air, while jets flew overhead leaving white and yellow trails -- the colours of the Vatican City flag. The pope's highly publicised 48-hour visit to the United Arab Emirates will also include an open-air mass on Tuesday for 135,000 of the Muslim country's million Catholic residents, set to be the largest public gathering in the country's history. The pope was expected to raise the issue of Yemen, devastated by a war in which the UAE is a key player, in talks with Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed. Yemen is the scene of what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis, triggered by the intervention of Saudi Arabia, the UAE
Plea in HC for probing complaints against film director
A plea has been filed in the Kerala High Court seeking a direction to police to set up an SIT for investigating complaints against national award winning Malayalam film director Priyanandan for hurting religious sentiments by posting "derogatory" comments on Lord Ayyappa. The petitioner, Abhijit K A, from Alappuzha district alleged that no FIR has been registered on complaints filed in various police stations against the director. The director had deliberately posted with a malicious intent to outrage the community's religious feelings and the belief in Lord Ayyappa, he alleged. The petitioner submitted that there were five complaints against Priyanandan in five police stations alleging offences under IPC sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion) and 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs). He said no investigation has been launched in the case. No ...
Thousands throng Rameswaram shrine
More than three lakh pilgrims Monday thronged thispilgrim town to offer prayers to their forefathers on 'Thai amavasai' day. Thai Amavasai is considered an auspicious day to pray for the souls of forefathers. The queue for taking bath in the 26 holy water sites in and outside the Sri Ramanathaswamy temple here extended upto four km, officials said. The 'Theerthavari' festival for Ramanathaswamy and Parvatha varthini was held at the Agni theertham sea near the temple. Over one lakh pilgirms took a dip in thesea. Thousands of pilgrims gathered at Tiruppullani sea coast in Ramanathapuram district to pray for the souls of forefathers. They also offered prayers at the local Sri Jagannatha Swamy temple. People offered 'pitru pooja' on the banks of the Cauvery river in Tiruchirappalli.
Pope Francis to attend inter-religious meet in UAE
Pope Francis on Monday began his historic visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the first by a pontiff to the Arabian Peninsula, at the presidential palace here.
Tolerance is soul of UAE, says Hindu priest
The upcoming first Hindu temple in the UAE's capital Abu Dhabi represents a unique diversity and fraternity, a senior Hindu priest has said. The UAE is celebrating 2019 as the 'Year of Tolerance'. In February last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the Swaminarayan temple of the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha through video conferencing from Dubai. Sadhu Brahma Viharidas, who is in charge of the Middle East at BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha that will build and manage the temple, said Sunday that the UAE is a unique example for tolerance. "A Muslim country gave the land for the temple. It is being designed by an Irish Catholic and the consultant is a communist atheist," he was quoted as saying by the Gulf News. "A foreign journalist once asked me whether tolerance in the UAE was only cosmetic? I said 'Not at all. It is not skin deep, tolerance is the soul of the UAE'," the priest said while addressing the opening session of the Global .
UAE gives pope pomp-filled welcome ceremony at visit's start
Pope Francis opened his historic visit to the United Arab Emirates on Monday with a grandiose, pomp-filled welcome ceremony before he was to address faith leaders in a show of religious tolerance in a Muslim region known for its restrictions on religious freedom. Francis arrived at the Abu Dhabi presidential palace in a simple Kia hatchback, but was greeted with an artillery salute and military flyover by a country now at war. Even for a nation known for its excesses, the Emiratis' red-carpet welcome was remarkable for a pope who prides himself on simplicity. It featured horse-mounted guards escorting the pontiff's motorcade through the palace gardens while the flyover trailed the yellow and white smoke of the Holy See flag as cannons boomed. Francis stood somberly between Abu Dhabi's powerful crown prince, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and the Emirati vice president and prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, as the Vatican and Emirati anthems played and ...
Pope in historic visit to UAE to highlight religious freedom
Pope Francis is opening his historic visit to the United Arab Emirates by meeting Monday with the federation's leader and a group of Muslim elders before addressing faith leaders in a show of religious tolerance in a Muslim region known for its restrictions on religious freedom. Francis' speech to the gathering later in the evening is the highlight of his brief, 40-hour visit to Abu Dhabi. His trip culminates on Tuesday with the first-ever papal Mass on the Arabian Peninsula a gathering expected to draw some 135,000 people in a never-before-seen display of public Christian worship here. Francis arrived in the Emirati capital late on Sunday and was greeted by Abu Dhabi's powerful crown prince, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who hosts him at his palace for Monday's official welcome ceremony. Francis arrival followed his surprising appeal on Sunday at the Vatican for the urgent observation of a limited cease-fire in Yemen and for food and medicine to get to its people, who are ...
Pope Francis lands in UAE for historic visit
Pope Francis landed in the United Arab Emirates on Sunday for the first ever visit by a pontiff to the Arabian Peninsula -- the birthplace of Islam. The pope touched down in Abu Dhabi for the 48-hour trip during which he will meet leading Muslim clerics and hold an open-air mass for some 135,000 Catholics. The pontiff will take part in an interreligious conference on Monday, meeting Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, the imam of Cairo's Al-Azhar, Sunni Islam's prestigious seat of learning. Hours before he flies back to Rome on Tuesday, he will lead mass in a stadium in Abu Dhabi -- set to be the largest gathering ever in the UAE, according to local media. His visit comes with the UAE engaged in a long-running military campaign in Yemen and embroiled in a diplomatic spat with nearby Qatar. Before heading to the Gulf, the pontiff urged warring parties in Yemen, where the UAE backs the government against Huthi rebels, to respect a truce agreement. "I appeal to all parties concerned and to the ...
KCR makes aerial inspection of Yadadri temple renovation
Telangana Chief Minister K.A. Chandrashekhar Rao on Sunday conducted an aerial survey of Yadadri to inspect the works undertaken for renovation of Yadadri temple, which he wants to develop on the lines of famous Tirumala temple of Andhra Pradesh.
CJI Ranjan Gogoi offers prayers at Lord Venkateswara temple
Chief Justice of India Justice Ranjan Gogoi and his wife offered prayers at the famous hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala here on Sunday night, a temple official said. On his arrival at the shrine, Gogoi was given a traditional welcome by the management and priests. It was his second visit as the CJI to the ancient hill shrine. He had earlier offered prayers to Lord Venkateswara on November 18 last year, a temple official told PTI Gogoi arrived here Sunday evening, after visiting Amaravati where with Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, he inaugurated a judicial complex meant for the interim high court for the residual state of Andhra Pradesh. After offering prayers, he left for New Delhi.
Pope heads to UAE for historic trip
- Pope Francis heads to the UAE Sunday for the first ever papal visit to the Arabian Peninsula, birthplace of Islam, where he will hold an open-air mass for tens of thousands of Catholics. The pontiff will take part in an interreligious conference on Monday, meeting Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, the imam of Cairo's Al-Azhar, Sunni Islam's prestigious seat of learning. Hours before he flies back to Rome on Tuesday, he will lead an open-air mass -- set to be the largest gathering ever in the UAE, according to local media. The pope boarded a flight Sunday afternoon from Rome's Fiumicino airport and is set to arrive in Abu Dhabi at 10 PM (1800 GMT). His visit comes with the UAE engaged in a long-running military campaign in Yemen and embroiled in a diplomatic spat with nearby Qatar. Before heading to the Gulf, the pontiff urged warring parties in Yemen, where the UAE backs the government against Huthi rebels, to respect a truce agreement. "I appeal to all parties concerned and to the ...
K Chandrasekhar Rao inspects renovation works at Yadagirigutta temple
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao Sunday inspected the ongoing renovation works at Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple in Yadagirigutta. Rao, after an aerial survey, visited the famous Yadagirigutta temple -- the abode of Sri Lakshmi Narasimha -- and offered prayers. He also inspected the ongoing temple development works in neighbouring Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri district, official sources said. Rao had earlier visited the temple in November 2017.
Head of Ukraine's new orthodox church enthroned
The leader of the new independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church was enthroned in a ceremony in Kiev on Sunday, formalising a break with the Russian Orthodox Church that has enraged Moscow. During the three-hour event in the gold-decked 11th-century Saint Sophia Cathedral, Metropolitan Yepifaniy became head of the Church, having been elected by bishops last year. The 40-year-old is a critic of Moscow's religious influence in Ukraine and has helped organise humanitarian aid for Kiev's army in its struggle against Russian-backed separatist movements. President Petro Poroshenko, who had promised an independent church ahead of this year's presidential election, attended the ceremony along with other top officials. Last week, he finally confirmed he was running for re-election in the March 31 poll. Poroshenko described Sunday's ceremony as the "completion" of the process to create the Church, in comments carried by Ukrainian TV channels as part of a live broadcast. The new church would be ...
World heritage centre to be set up at Mayapur
A World Heritage Centre housing 'spiritual camps' of 45 countries would be set up at Mayapur, the global headquarters of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), in Nadia district. The camp of each country would reflect its culture, dress, lifestyle, food and ambiance, an ISKCON spokesman said from Mayapur Sunday. The process for setting up the centre got momentum after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee inquired about the project at a recent administrative meeting in Nadia district. Expressing hope that the centre would help in attracting more tourists to the state, she had offered all help to the ISKCON from the state government. The estimated project cost of the proposed centre has been fixed at Rs 3000 crore, the spokesman said. "The Temple of Vedic Planetarium will come up at the first part of the World heritage centre. It will have one of the biggest domes in the world. The TOVP is expected to be inaugurated in 2022," Head of ISKCON ...
Pope seeks dialogue on first papal trip to Arabian Peninsula
Pope Francis is seeking to turn a page in Christian-Muslim relations while also ministering to a unique, thriving island of Catholicism as he embarks on the first-ever papal trip to the Arabian Peninsula, the birthplace of Islam. While Francis is building on two of his priorities with his Sunday-Tuesday visit to the United Arab Emirates promoting interfaith dialogue and visiting the Catholic peripheries diplomatic protocol will likely dictate that he leaves other concerns behind. The Emirates' support for Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen, which has caused the world's worst humanitarian crisis, and the UAE's problematic record on human rights and labour violations at home will likely will get a pass at least in public. Francis is travelling to Abu Dhabi to participate in a conference on interreligious dialogue sponsored by the Emirates-based Muslim Council of Elders, an initiative that seeks to counter religious fanaticism by promoting a moderate brand of Islam. It's the brainchild of ...
Pope Francis to embark on historic UAE visit
Pope Francis will arrive in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Sunday, becoming the first pontiff to visit the Arabian peninsula.
Woman mauled to death by tiger in Ranthambore Tiger Reserve
A 52-year-old woman was mauled to death by a tiger in the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve in Sawai Madhopur district of Rajasthan on Saturday, an official said. The incident occurred near Paldi village on Saturday morning, Deputy SP Krishna Samariya said. The deceased was identified as Munni Devi. Rajasthan Chief minister Ashok Gehlot expressed grief over the incident and sanctioned a compensation of Rs 1 lakh from the chief minister's relief fund in addition to the financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh as per rules of the Forest Department.