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        <title>Christian Today | World</title>
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                <title><![CDATA[Church leaders remember victims of war in Easter messages]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/church-leaders-remember-victims-of-war-in-easter-messages</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/church-leaders-remember-victims-of-war-in-easter-messages</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Staff writer]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiantoday.com/media/original/img/9/87/98711.png">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Sarah Mullally, Archbishop of Canterbury]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Neil Turner) ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Fri, 03 Apr 2026 05:20:00 +0100</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Remembering those impacted by war was a key theme this year.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
The Archbishop of Canterbury and Jerusalem Church leaders have used their Easter messages to remember all those impacted by war.
In her statement, Archbishop Sarah Mullally, said that the message of the gospel is not an abstract hope but a “living reality” that could give strength and comfort to all of humanity, particularly those who are in deep suffering.
She said, “We proclaim it in a world marked by deep suffering and conflict. We think of those living amid war and violence – across the Middle East, in Ukraine, in Sudan, and in so many other places of conflict – and of the churches of the Holy Land, bearing faithful witness under immense strain.
"We remember all who are displaced, oppressed, or forgotten, and we renew our calling as Christians to stand with the marginalised and to serve those most in need.”
She added that Jesus is not “distant” from human pain, but took it on himself: “Suffering and pain are penultimate; ultimate is the loving embrace of God in glory. Easter proclaims that even in the darkest places, God is at work bringing life.”
The Bishop of the Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf, Sean Semple, noted that Easter was taking place this year "in the shadow of war" and said that the conflict "wounds our compatriots, livelihoods, political alliances, and creation itself". 
He said that the cancellation of traditional Easter events in Jerusalem and the indefinite closure of the Holy Sepulchre were "spiritual wounds inflicted on the Christians of the Land of the Holy One, and all pilgrims". 
In their own Easter message, the Jerusalem Patriarchs lamented the latest outbreak of Middle Eastern hostilities as a “relentless cycle of death, destruction and frightful suffering that now ripples across the globe in rising economic hardship”.
However, they also reminded the faithful that the core lesson of Easter is that even death is not the end, but that “by the power of God, Christ rose victorious from the grave, bursting the bonds of sin and death”.
The Patriarchs called on Christians everywhere to pray for the relief of those suffering from the impact of war, wherever they may be, while Mullally reminded believers to continue to demonstrate the love of Christ in their everyday lives.
“In prayer, in friendship, in hospitality, in shared witness … these small and faithful acts are seeds of a greater harvest, signs of the deeper unity we already share in Christ," said Mullally. ]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Ancient monastic complex uncovered in Egypt's Nile Delta]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/ancient-monastic-complex-uncovered-in-egypt-s-nile-delta</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/ancient-monastic-complex-uncovered-in-egypt-s-nile-delta</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Anugrah Kumar]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiantoday.com/media/original/img/9/87/98739.png">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Egypt]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Egypt Ministry of Tourism and Archives) ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Egyptian archaeologists unearthed a 1,500-year-old monastic complex in the Nile Delta, Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Thu, 02 Apr 2026 09:03:00 +0100</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Officials called the find significant for understanding the origins of organized monastic life.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Egyptian archaeologists have unearthed a 1,500-year-old monastic complex in the Nile Delta, including a fifth-century building believed to have served as a reception facility for pilgrims, Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced.
The discovery was made at the Al-Qalāyā site in Beheira Governorate, where an Egyptian mission from the Supreme Council of Antiquities has been excavating since 2023, according to the announcement.
Officials called the find significant for understanding the origins of organized monastic life.
The newly uncovered structure contains 13 rooms that served multiple functions, including individual and communal monastic cells, spaces for hospitality and education, a kitchen, and storerooms.
Architectural elements added during later historical periods were also identified, indicating the building was modified and repurposed across subsequent phases of use.
A large hall in the northern section of the building features stone benches decorated with botanical motifs and was likely used to receive visitors, including senior monastic figures and those seeking to study monastic life. The building extends along a north-south axis, with a prayer room oriented to face east. A limestone-carved cross is set within the eastern wall.
Hisham El-Leithy, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, identified Al-Qalāyā as the second-largest known monastic gathering site in the history of Christian monasticism. He said its architectural style reflects “the earliest nucleus of monastery establishment.”
El-Leithy said the decorative motifs and illustrations found at the site are among the most significant sources for the study of early Coptic art, offering historical and archaeological evidence about the nature of monastic life and artistic development in its earliest stages.
The discovery also shows the evolution of monastic architecture from solitary dwelling to communal housing and, ultimately, to facilities designed to receive visitors, he added.
Wall paintings recovered from the site depict monks, identifiable by their clothing, alongside geometric and plant-based decorations. These include braided ornaments in red, white, and black, as well as an eight-petaled flower. Officials said the works point to the richness of symbolic expression in early Coptic art.
One prominent mural shows two gazelles surrounded by vegetal motifs within a double circular frame, which is believed to carry symbolic meaning, Basilica News Agency reported.
The site offers evidence of a transition from eremitic life, in which monks lived in isolation, to communal monastic organization. The development occurred in a region distinct from the desert areas of southern Egypt, which have long been regarded as the cradle of early monasticism.
A complete marble column measuring 2 meters in length was also recovered, along with column capitals and bases. Pottery fragments bearing vegetal and geometric motifs, ceramic pieces inscribed with Coptic letters, bone remains of birds and animals, and a collection of oyster shells were found across the site. The bone remains and shells are consistent with food preparation and daily activities at the complex, according to officials.
Samir Razaq Abdul-Hafiz, head of the excavation mission, said researchers found a rectangular limestone piece at the entrance of one chamber bearing a Coptic inscription. An initial translation suggests the text is a funerary stele. The inscription refers to the death of an individual identified as “Apa Kyr, son of Shenouda,” confirming continued human presence at the site during a period of flourishing monastic development in the region.
Since excavations began in 2023, the mission has also uncovered multiple clusters of monastic cells known as manshubiyyat, groupings of pottery vessels associated with monks’ living quarters. Auxiliary service buildings were also found, indicating the presence of a large and organized monastic center.
Research at the site is ongoing.
© The Christian Post]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Easter events cancelled in Syria after violence against Christians]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/easter-events-cancelled-in-syria-after-violence-against-christians</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/easter-events-cancelled-in-syria-after-violence-against-christians</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Staff writer]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Christians in Syria]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: CSW) ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Christians in Syria ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Thu, 02 Apr 2026 05:27:00 +0100</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Syrian government forces were eventually able to restore order.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Christians in Syria have been forced to cancel Easter events this year following an outbreak of sectarian violence over the weekend.
The trouble began in the town of Suqaylabiyah, allegedly when two Muslim men from a nearby town began harassing Christian women. When the Christian men took exception to this and ran them out of town, they came back with dozens of men on motorcycles and some with guns.
The violent mob then reportedly destroyed a local shrine to Mary and attacked shops, houses and cars. Some members of the security services are alleged to have been involved in the attack.
The current government of Syria, despite being dominated by an al-Qaeda offshoot, has pledged to respect the rights of minorities in the country. However, due to the plethora of armed groups in a country that has suffered over a decade of civil war, it has struggled to make good on that promise.
On this occasion, government forces successfully intervened and thwarted further attempts by the mob to attack the town.
However, as a result of the violence, the Catholic, Greek Orthodox and Syriac Orthodox churches have all confirmed that their planned Easter celebrations will no longer be taking place.
In a statement Syrian Christians for Peace, said, “We call upon Syrians from all components [religious and ethnic groups] to remain united and reject sectarianism and division, and we call upon the Syrian government to launch a serious national dialogue initiative and speed up the accountability and transitional justice process.
"We also encourage the Syrian authorities to issue the necessary legislations to criminalise sectarianism and hate speech.”
The wider conflict in the Middle East has led to the cancellation of Easter events in Israel, where Christians have been placed under more stringent restrictions by the Israeli government.
Mervyn Thomas, founder president of Christian Solidarity Worldwide, condemned the violence. 
"We encourage the Syrian authorities to increase their efforts to combat extremism and hate speech, and hold all involved in the attacks on Suqaylabiyah, especially those within its ranks, to account," he said.
"We also urge the international community to call on the Syrian government to fulfil its obligation to protect all citizens, and produce measurable improvements in human rights."]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Religious freedom violations increasing in Nicaragua]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/religious-freedom-violations-increasing-in-nicaragua</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/religious-freedom-violations-increasing-in-nicaragua</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Staff writer]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Nicaragua]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Getty/iStock) ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Wed, 01 Apr 2026 06:27:00 +0100</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[The situation has declined since 2018.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) has issued a new report warning of a deterioration of religious freedom in Nicaragua.
The report has showed a significant increase in alleged violations of religious freedom, rising from 222 cases in 2024 to 309 cases last year. The group said that many violations were probably going unreported due to a “climate of fear” created by the government.
Many religious leaders in Nicaragua are subject to “precautionary measures” that require them to report weekly to the police and to seek permission to conduct various religious activities.
Some pastors have also been detained by police for significant periods of time. Furthermore, reports have suggested that the Nicaraguan government has banned international visitors from bringing Bibles into the country.
One pastor, Efrén Antonio Vílchez López, has been sentenced to 23 years in jail on what human rights groups say were “trumped up” charges. His real “crime” is believed to be criticism of the current Nicaraguan government.
According to Open Doors, Nicaragua is the 32nd worst persecutor of Christians in the world, with the situation having deteriorated significantly since 2018 when there were a series of anti-government protests.
Leader Anna Lee Stangl, Director of Advocacy and Americas Team at CSW, said, “For several years now CSW has documented a continued deterioration in the situation of freedom of religion or belief and other human rights in Nicaragua. 2025 was no different.
"While in some ways the regime has changed its strategies – releasing political prisoners into house arrest as opposed to forcing them into exile, for example – its primary goal remains the same: to control, coopt or eliminate anyone it deems a threat to its authority and survival.
“The international community must do more to support and strengthen independent voices in the country, including those of religious groups, and, in light of Nicaragua’s own unresponsiveness to international communications, it should consider holding other states that support the regime to account.”]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Päivi Räsänen calls for repeal of hate speech laws across Europe after shock conviction]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/paivi-rasanen-calls-for-repeal-of-hate-speech-laws-across-europe-after-shock-conviction</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/paivi-rasanen-calls-for-repeal-of-hate-speech-laws-across-europe-after-shock-conviction</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Staff writer]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Päivi Räsänen]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Getty/iStock) ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Päivi Räsänen ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Wed, 01 Apr 2026 06:26:00 +0100</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[All copies of a decades old pamphlet are to be destroyed after Finland's former Minister of the Interior was convicted of hate speech - even though the law that convicted her did not exist at the time the pamphlet was published.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Finnish MP Päivi Räsänen has called for a repeal of all European “hate speech” laws, following her conviction by the Finnish Supreme Court.
Räsänen was initially investigated in 2019 for a pamphlet published in 2004 that promote traditional Christian views on marriage and sexuality. Despite being acquitted twice previously in the lower courts, state prosecutors appealed to the Supreme Court, leading to her recent conviction.
The Supreme Court ruled that the pamphlet, which Räsänen continued to share after she was charged, “made available to the public and kept available to the public opinions that insult homosexuals as a group on the basis of their sexual orientation."
Following her conviction Räsänen said it was false to claim that freedom of speech is “alive and well” in Europe.
Referring to Lutheran bishop Juhana Pohjola, who co-authored the pamphlet and was also found guilty, Räsänen said, “the bishop and I are ‘criminals’ for peacefully sharing our beliefs in the public square by way of the pamphlet.
“I wrote the pamphlet years before the law under which I have been prosecuted was passed. In finding me guilty, the Court acknowledged that the content in question did not incite violence or hatred. Even so, it ruled that expressing those views in that context was criminal.”
Räsänen argued that the court judgment, which orders the destruction of the pamphlet, is censorship that takes Europe back to a darker time in its history.
The ambiguity in the laws over what exactly constitutes “hate speech” also serves, she argues, as a means of censoring people who are unsure what would and would not fall foul of the law. She further warned that more people may be prosecuted for past comments.
Räsänen’s case has drawn the attention of the European Evangelical Alliance, which expressed its disappointment in the ruling and called for freedom of speech across Europe. 
In a statement, it said, “The EEA affirms the dignity and protection of all people, including those who identify as LGBTQ+, and rejects all forms of hatred and violence.
"At the same time, it is deeply concerned that this ruling lowers the threshold for criminalising peaceful expression and risks setting a troubling precedent for freedom of expression and religion across Europe.” ]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Gunmen in Nigeria kill 28 people in predominantly Christian area]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/gunmen-in-nigeria-kill-28-people-in-predominantly-christian-area</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/gunmen-in-nigeria-kill-28-people-in-predominantly-christian-area</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Christian Daily International-Morning Star News]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Plateau State]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Plateau State, Nigeria. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Wed, 01 Apr 2026 06:25:00 +0100</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Gunmen on Sunday reportedly killed 28 people in a densely populated, predominantly Christian area of Jos, Plateau state, Nigeria, sources said.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Gunmen on Sunday reportedly killed 28 people in a densely populated, predominantly Christian area of Jos, Plateau state, Nigeria, sources said.
Residents of the Angwan Rukuba area of Jos said the attack occurred at about 8 p.m. on Palm Sunday where residents have various bustling business outlets. The assailants arrived in a van and on motorcycles, killing men, women and children and wounding dozens of others, residents said.
“Armed gunmen invaded the area at about 8 p.m. and shot indiscriminately at anyone they sighted,” area resident Samson Glabe told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News.
Arin Izere, a Jos-based gospel singer, said the assailants were dressed in military fatigues, leading witnesses to believe they were task force officers with the National Drug Enforcement Agency.
“I went to drop my friend at Angwan Rukuba, and at that moment we saw the terrorists coming down from their vehicle with guns,” Izere told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. “The vehicle is a Sharon bus painted in red color. Within seconds from alighting from their vehicle, we heard gunshots, they were shooting at anyone in sight. Many have been killed, and I feel so heartbroken.”
Resident Debra Jalmet in a text message called for an end to the bloodshed.
“There is no pain greater than a mother holding a child whose life has been taken too soon. Jos is not just bleeding it is crying through the hearts of its mothers,” Jalmet said. “Enough of the killings, enough of the silence. Every life lost is a future stolen, and every tear shed is a wound on our humanity.”
A Plateau state spokesperson, Joyce Lohya Ramnap, confirmed the attack, describing it as despicable and unwarranted. She said it happened in the Gari Ya Waye community of Angwan Rukuba, and that officials had imposed a 48-hour curfew across Jos North Local Government Area.
Both the president of Nigeria and the Plateau state governor condemned the attack.
“Anyone who will sneak under the cover of the night and kill defenseless citizens as done in Jos is a heartless coward,” said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in a press statement. “By attacking soft targets in Jos, their objective is not only to cause harm but also trigger a spiral of reprisal attacks and further bloodletting.”
Plateau Gov. Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang condemned the attack as “barbaric and unprovoked” and assured residents that security agencies were mobilized to track down the culprits.
“This is a painful moment for all of us,” Mutfwang said. “Angwan Rukuba is a community that accommodates people from diverse ethnic backgrounds across Plateau state. Therefore, this is not the pain of a few – it is the pain of all of us.”
He said a suspect linked to prior threats had been arrested and that efforts were underway to apprehend the perpetrators, and he assured citizens that state and federal authorities were fully engaged and committed to ensuring justice.
Plateau State Police Command spokesperson Alfred Alabo said in a press statement on Monday (March 30) that the attack killed at least 10 men and two women and that officers were searching for the assailants, but that bodies were still being discovered.
“As of this morning, additional two corpses were found while our men were combing the bushes and trailing the suspects for possible arrests,” Alabo said.
He said police received a call reporting gunshots in the area at about 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, and that Police Plateau State Command sent a team of officers comprising members of the its Management Team, PMF Squadron Commanders, and others to reduce tension and restore calm.
“Police and all other security agencies within the state have organized a joint operations and are currently combing the nearby bushes to ensure that the suspects are arrested or dislodged in accordance with the law,” Alabo said. “While the identities of the victims are still being verified, the CP assures families of the deceased that investigations are underway to track the perpetrators of this dastardly act and ensure that the law takes its course.”
The Commissioner of Police has deployed additional manpower and operational assets to the area led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of operations “to forestall further breakdown of law and order,” he said.
More Christians were killed in Nigeria than in any other country from Oct. 1, 2024 to Sept. 30, 2025, according to Open Doors’ 2026 World Watch List. Of the 4,849 Christians killed worldwide for their faith during that period, 3,490 – 72 percent – were Nigerians, an increase from 3,100 the prior year. Nigeria ranked No. 7 on the WWL list of the 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian.
Numbering in the millions across Nigeria and the Sahel, predominantly Muslim Fulani comprise hundreds of clans of many different lineages who do not hold extremist views, but some Fulani do adhere to radical Islamist ideology, the United Kingdom’s All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom or Belief (APPG) noted in a 2020 report.
“They adopt a comparable strategy to Boko Haram and ISWAP and demonstrate a clear intent to target Christians and potent symbols of Christian identity,” the APPG report states.
Christian leaders in Nigeria have said they believe herdsmen attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria’s Middle Belt are inspired by their desire to forcefully take over Christians’ lands and impose Islam as desertification has made it difficult for them to sustain their herds.
In the country’s North-Central zone, where Christians are more common than they are in the North-East and North-West, Islamic extremist Fulani militia attack farming communities, killing many hundreds, Christians above all, according to the report. Jihadist groups such as Boko Haram and the splinter group Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP), among others, are also active in the country’s northern states, where federal government control is scant and Christians and their communities continue to be the targets of raids, sexual violence, and roadblock killings, according to the report. Abductions for ransom have increased considerably in recent years.
The violence has spread to southern states, and a new jihadist terror group, Lakurawa, has emerged in the northwest, armed with advanced weaponry and a radical Islamist agenda, the WWL noted. Lakurawa is affiliated with the expansionist Al-Qaeda insurgency Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin, or JNIM, originating in Mali.
© 2026 Christian Daily International-Morning Star News]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[EU Special Envoy for religious freedom finally appointed]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/eu-special-envoy-for-religious-freedom-finally-appointed</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/eu-special-envoy-for-religious-freedom-finally-appointed</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Staff writer]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[European Union, EU]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Getty/iStock) ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Tue, 31 Mar 2026 13:57:00 +0100</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Some feel the EU has been dragging its feet on the issue of religious freedom.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
The European Union has announced the appointment of Mairead McGuinness as its new Special Envoy for Freedom of Religious Belief outside the EU.
McGuinness has a background in Irish politics and served as the European Commissioner for Financial Services between 2020 and 2024. Her appointment to the role was welcomed by the Catholic Church.
Mgr Mariano Crociata, President of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE), said in a statement, “COMECE knows Ms McGuinness well and has had the privilege of working closely with her during her time as a Member of the European Parliament, including in her capacity as First Vice-President responsible for the implementation of the dialogue with Churches and religious communities.”
Crociata also urged that the new post be provided with all of the resources that it needs to be effective.
This particular Special Envoy role has been vacant since 2024, a sign according to some that the EU has been dragging its feet on the issue of religious freedom.
Earlier this year the European Parliament passed a resolution affirming its commitment to fighting “Christianophobia”, along with other forms of prejudice and discrimination. That resolution also noted that, while the EU had appointed someone to combat “Islamophobia”, no one had been selected to deal with anti-Christian prejudice.
While welcoming the appointment of McGuinness, Human Rights Without Frontiers said it was concerned that historically the EU had not taken religious freedom as seriously as it could have.
In a statement the group said, “It cannot be kept silent that during the 10 years and a few months of existence of the post of EU Special Envoy for freedom of religion or belief in the world, the mandate has only been carried out for 5 years despite all the pressing calls of MEPs and civil society. This shows a persistent lack of political will to defend freedom of religion or belief outside the EU.”]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Trump pastor says Iran war is a 'spiritual obligation']]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/trump-pastor-says-iran-war-is-a-spiritual-obligation</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/trump-pastor-says-iran-war-is-a-spiritual-obligation</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Staff writer]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Tehran, Iran]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: YouTube / Guardian) ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ A building in Tehran damaged by an Israeli missile strike. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Mon, 30 Mar 2026 05:57:00 +0100</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[One of Donald Trump’s most vocal Christian supporters has justified the Israeli-US military strike on Iran.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
One of Donald Trump’s most vocal Christian supporters has justified the Israeli-US military strike on Iran, claiming it was akin to preventing a rape.
Pastor Mark Burns, speaking to The Telegraph at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), said, "It’s our obligation, spiritual obligation. If I saw a woman being raped by a man, it’s my spiritual obligation to go over there and to defend that innocent woman.
“There are millions of innocent Iranians that have been held by gunpoint at the hand of this evil dictator, just like what’s happening in Russia, in Ukraine. It is our obligation. We don’t want the fight. We’re not looking for the fight.
“There are millions of Iranians that, again, are shouting thankfulness to [Netanyahu]], thankfulness to President Trump, that this evil regime is now being toppled and being challenged so that they can be free.”
Pastor Burns said that President Trump had received God’s protection from the two attempts on his life, adding that the near miss in 2024 had led Trump to a more serious engagement with his own personal faith.
The current conflict began with a US-Israeli military strike assassinating Iran’s Supreme Leader, Grand Ayatollah Khamenei and other key leaders. Conflict has been raging ever since, with both sides launching missiles and airstrikes at each other’s territory and proxies.
Both sides have also accused each other of using religious justifications for the current conflict and of attempting to bring on their own religion’s version of the end times.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been accused of comparing Iran to the biblical “Amalek”, a tribe that God orders to be exterminated, while complaints have also been received within the US military about the use of Christianity to justify the war.
One complaint alleges that a commander told soldiers that President Trump was “anointed by Jesus to light the signal fire in Iran to cause Armageddon and mark his return to Earth”.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Syrian Church leaders speak out after attacks on Christian property]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/syrian-church-leaders-speak-out-after-attacks-on-christian-property</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/syrian-church-leaders-speak-out-after-attacks-on-christian-property</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Staff writer]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiantoday.com/media/original/img/9/79/97961.jpg">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Syria]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Getty/iStock) ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Mon, 30 Mar 2026 05:51:00 +0100</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Syrian Church leaders have called for greater efforts to preserve peace and stability after attacks on homes, shops and cars in a predominantly Christian town.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Syrian Church leaders have called for greater efforts to preserve peace and stability after attacks on homes, shops and cars in a predominantly Christian town.
The Associated Press (AP) reports that sectarian violence broke out in Al-Suqaylabiyah in Hama province after an argument between two men. 
The incident happened in the early hours of Saturday morning, with scores of men on motorcycles coming from the nearby Sunni town of Qalaat al-Madiq and attacking the property of Christians, AP reports.
Liyan Dweir's clothes shop was shot at during the attacks. He told AP that the attacks had created "a state of terror, fear, and panic". 
The violence was eventually quelled by government forces, but hundreds of Christians marched through Al-Suqaylabiyah on Saturday demanding justice and security.
Syrian Patriarchs, His Holiness Mor Aphrem II and His Beatitude John X, condemned the violence in Al-Suqaylabiyah and said they were praying for peace and stability. They called for the dignity of all citizens to be respected.
Their comments followed a meeting in Damascus to discuss the state of Christians in Syria. The Church leaders said the meeting had addressed "with deep concern and a strong sense of responsibility, the challenges facing Syria - challenges that threaten the coexistence of its Muslim and Christian citizens".
They called for greater efforts to curb "the proliferation of uncontrolled weapons, to preserve security and stability, and to safeguard the dignity of all citizens without exception".
This, they said, "must be grounded in the principles of citizenship, equality in rights and duties, and respect for both personal and public freedoms."
As Christians prepare to mark Easter, the Patriarchs have "directed that celebrations be limited to prayers held within churches". 
The violence has led to renewed questions about the government's ability to enforce law and order in Syria since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in 2024.
While the government asserted tolerance for religious minorities, Christians have been living in fear since a suicide bomb attack last year on the Mar Elyas Greek Orthodox Church in which over 20 Christians were killed.
Last month Christian teacher Iman Jarrous, 47, was shot dead in Homs. Local Christians said she may have been mistaken for an Alawite.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Church leaders stopped by Israeli police from entering Holy Sepulchre on Palm Sunday]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/church-leaders-stopped-by-israeli-police-from-entering-holy-sepulchre-on-palm-sunday</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/church-leaders-stopped-by-israeli-police-from-entering-holy-sepulchre-on-palm-sunday</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Staff writer]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Getty/iStock) ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Mon, 30 Mar 2026 03:56:00 +0100</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Israel's prime minister has said the Church leaders will now have "full and immediate access" after international outcry.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has given assurances that Church leaders will now be allowed to enter the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem after they were blocked by Israeli police on Sunday morning.
The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, and the Custos of the Holy Land, Fr Francesco Ielpo, were stopped from entering as they attempted to visit the church - traditionally believed to be built on the site of Jesus' crucifixion and burial - for Palm Sunday Mass, which marks the start of Holy Week. 
They were prevented from doing so "for the first time in centuries", the Latin Patriarchate said. 
"This incident is a grave precedent,and disregard the sensibilities of billions of people around the world who, during this week, look to Jerusalem," it said in a statement. 
Israeli authorities said the police had acted out of concern for their safety amid fears that the holy site could be targeted by Iranian ballistic missiles. 
The Latin Patriarchate responded to that decision by saying, "The Heads of the Churches have acted with full responsibility and, since the outset of the war, have complied with all imposed restrictions: public gatherings were cancelled, attendance was prohibited, and arrangements were made to broadcast the celebrations to hundreds of millions of faithful worldwide, who, during these days of Easter, turn their eyes to Jerusalem and to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
"Preventing the entry of the Cardinal and the Custos, who bear the highest ecclesiastical responsibility for the Catholic Church and the Holy Places, constitutes a manifestly unreasonable and grossly disproportionate measure.
"This hasty and fundamentally flawed decision, tainted by improper considerations, represents an extreme departure from basic principles of reasonableness, freedom of worship, and respect for the Status Quo.
"The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Custody of the Holy Land express their profound sorrow to the Christian faithful in the Holy Land and throughout the world that prayer on one of the most sacred days of the Christian calendar has thus been prevented." 
After international outcry, including criticism from US Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, Netanyahu confirmed that the Church leaders now have "full and immediate access" to the church.
In the UK, Catholic Church leaders strongly criticised the incident, with the Archbishop of Westminster, the Most Rev Richard Moth, calling it "a clear denial of freedom of worship" and a source of "pain" for the people of the Holy Land. 
Archbishop Moth, a member of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, also called for prayers for peace and reconciliation in the wider Middle East:
“Assuring the faithful of the Holy Land of our prayerful support as we enter Holy Week, we pray ever more intently for peace across the world and particularly at this time for our brothers and sisters in the very place where the Lord’s Passion took place," he said. 
“Our prayer at this time is to follow the Lord’s message to reject violence and to promote reconciliation and peace.”
His predecessor, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop Emeritus of Westminster, called the police actions "ill-thought-out, disproportionate and unacceptable". 
"As we enter Holy Week, the eyes of the world turn to Jerusalem," he said. 
"Moments like this cause deep distress and scandal. Our focus should be on Jesus Christ as the Prince of Peace. Indeed, the need for peace and security has never been greater. Respect for the faith of many millions around the world would serve this cause of peace. Today we pray for the ‘peace of Jerusalem’ with renewed vigour."
Bishop Jim Curry, lead bishop for the Holy Land and religious freedom, said, “Just two months ago I was in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre celebrating Mass with Bishop Nicholas Hudson and 11 other bishops from around the world, all of whom share a care and concern for the Christians and people of the Holy Land.
"The events of today are deeply troubling. Restricting the right to freedom of worship calls into question the agreed Status Quo for the holy sites in Jerusalem and Bethlehem."]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Iraqi Christians told to cancel Palm Sunday and Easter celebrations]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/iraqi-christians-told-to-cancel-palm-sunday-and-easter-celebrations</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/iraqi-christians-told-to-cancel-palm-sunday-and-easter-celebrations</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Ben Cohen, Open Doors]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Palm Sunday, Qaraqosh, Iraq]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Open Doors) ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ A past Palm Sunday procession in Qaraqosh, Iraq. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Sun, 29 Mar 2026 00:01:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[The Palm Sunday celebrations in Northern Iraq usually are big celebrations to commemorate Jesus entering Jerusalem.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
The Palm Sunday celebrations in Northern Iraq usually are big celebrations to commemorate Jesus entering Jerusalem.
Celebrants wave palm branches, carry olive leaves and wave small flags declaring “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, Hallelujah.”
It’s an all-age event with everyone from small children singing with big smiles, to elderly believers walking slowly along the route as they pray. Often you will see thousands of Christians on the streets, following the cross.
It’s a day when girls and women dress up in their traditional, glittery and colorful clothes. Many of the boys and men also wear their traditional clothes.
That is how Palm Sunday should look and sound in the country’s predominantly Christian towns. However, as hostilities continue across the region, the events, usually a high point of the Christian calendar, have all been cancelled.
The war in the region has put paid to all this. Iraq is one of Iran’s neighbours and there are several Iranian backed militias present in the country.
The militias have launched attacks toward the autonomous Kurdistan Region where many Christians live. Meanwhile in the Nineveh plain areas with the biggest Christian population, some Iranian backed militias are being targeted. This brings fear, confusion and instability to Christian communities in both regions.
Because of the war, all recognised church denominations have announced that there should be no celebrations. The decision comes as “pastoral responsibility”, says Bishop Mar Benedictus Younan Syriac Catholic Archbishop of Mosul.
He asks that church leaders “call upon the congregations to live the feast in the spirit of faith, prayer, and fraternal solidarity, and to refrain from excessive manifestations of joy and celebrations as an expression of solidarity with the suffering and those affected by the scourges of war first, and to preserve everyone’s safety second.”
Palm Sunday celebrations will be allowed, but only within the church buildings. There is a similar ruling for the Easter Masses and celebrations one week later.
“This year I feel sad, discouraged and disappointed because we can’t celebrate as we used to” a Christian lady shares. As many other Christians she’s a witness of the pain of this war and all risks involved.   
Iraqi Christians are asking Christians around the world to remember them in prayer. Please pray:
- For the hard days of war to pass quickly.
- Pray for peace to prevail in the region and the language of dialogue to take control rather than the weapons.
- Pray for the Iraqi congregations to truly live the time of resurrection with hope, forgiveness and the courage to truly witness for Jesus Christ. ]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Christians voice 'grave concern' after UN inquiry finds Ukrainian children were deported and forcibly transferred]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/christians-voice-grave-concern-after-un-inquiry-finds-ukrainian-children-were-deported-and-forcibly-transferred</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/christians-voice-grave-concern-after-un-inquiry-finds-ukrainian-children-were-deported-and-forcibly-transferred</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Obianuju Mbah]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Kharkiv, Ukraine]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Getty/iStock) ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Sat, 28 Mar 2026 05:03:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[“These actions are a shocking violation of the God-given dignity of every child and of the sanctity of family bonds."]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
The World Council of Churches has expressed “grave concern” after a United Nations commission concluded that Russian authorities have committed crimes against humanity and war crimes by deporting and forcibly relocating Ukrainian children.
In a statement responding to the findings, WCC general secretary Rev Prof Dr Jerry Pillay said the report of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine “confront[s] the conscience of the whole international community”.
He said the reported removal of children from Ukrainian territory under Russian occupation, and their permanent settlement in Russia, amounted to a profound moral outrage.
“These actions are a shocking violation of the God-given dignity of every child and of the sanctity of family bonds,” Prof Pillay wrote.
“The deliberate removal and relocation of children for political or ideological purposes is fundamentally incompatible with international law, morality and Christian values, which call us to protect the smallest and most vulnerable among us.
“Such actions deprive children of their families, language, culture, and homeland, inflicting deep psychological and spiritual harm,” he added.
The Commission’s latest report, submitted to the UN Human Rights Council, centres on its most serious finding: the deportation or transfer of Ukrainian children to the Russian Federation or to Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine.
It said it had gathered “compelling evidence concerning the deportation and transfer of a total of 1,205 children from five oblasts in Ukraine”, leading it to conclude that “these acts amount to crimes against humanity and war crimes of deportation and forcible transfer of children”.
The report goes further, saying Russian authorities also committed “the crime against humanity … of enforced disappearance” in relation to children, as well as the war crime of “unjustifiable delay in their repatriation.”
According to the Commission, Russian authorities systematically withheld information about the children’s whereabouts from parents and legal guardians, while keeping them in “a coercive environment obstructing their return.”
Rather than creating a process to reunite children with their families, the report said officials pursued their “long-term placement with families or in institutions in the Russian Federation.”
It noted that all through 2022, Russian authorities said adoption was their favoured course of action.
The consequences have been devastating. In the cases examined by the Commission, 80% of the children had not been returned.
Parents and guardians in many cases still do not know where their children are, while those who have managed to secure returns have faced delays, bureaucratic obstacles and dangers.
This has that left many families still trying to find them years later.
One child who returned to Ukraine told investigators: “I was sad, I was scared. I worried that I would have to live in the Russian Federation.”
The Commission’s report reflects a wider investigation into abuses perpetrated since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
It said its work had been guided by “independence, impartiality, objectivity, integrity, as well as a victim-centred approach.”
The inquiry has interviewed 2,433 people and made 27 visits to Ukraine since its founding.
It said Ukraine had cooperated with its work, while Russia did not recognise the Commission and rejected 39 written requests for meetings, information and access.
Beyond the findings on children, the report documented a broad range of alleged violations by Russian authorities.
These included trials in Russian courts and in occupied parts of Ukraine that, the Commission said, stripped civilians and prisoners of war their right to basic fair trial guarantees.
It found evidence that accusations were supported by material fabricated or extracted under torture or ill-treatment, while courts ignored the presumption of innocence, the right to defence and other core protections.
The Commission stated that such proceedings amounted to serious violations of international humanitarian law and therefore constituted war crimes.
It also reported ongoing sexual violence in several occupied or contested regions, with victims ranging from children to adults, and said survivors had suffered deep physical and psychological trauma.
In another strand of the investigation, the Commission examined the recruitment of foreign nationals from 17 countries into the Russian armed forces.
Many, it said, had been deceived by pledges of civilian work or other financial opportunities, only to be coerced into signing Russian-language contracts they did not understand and sent into dangerous frontline roles.
The report also drew on interviews with 85 former Russian soldiers who had deserted.
Their testimony described beatings, shootings, mock executions, confinement in pits or cages, and other violent punishments used by commanders against subordinates.
The accounts, the Commission said, showed “a total disregard for human life and dignity” and suggested that violence inside the Russian armed forces was both “widespread and systematic.”
While most of the report’s strongest conclusions concerned Russian conduct, the Commission also raised concerns about Ukraine.
It said the country’s criminal offence of “collaborative activities” was drafted too broadly, creating legal uncertainty and risking the punishment of people who had carried out essential civilian services in occupied areas.
It also recorded alleged abuses linked to mobilisation for the Ukrainian armed forces, including irregular detention, lack of access to lawyers, rushed medical examinations and violence against conscientious objectors.
In its conclusions, the Commission said it remained deeply troubled by “the wide array of crimes and violations it has investigated, and at their effects on the victims and their families.”
It warned that the crimes committed against children in particular would have “irreversible consequences on their lives and their future”.
It also stressed the need for a victim-centred response, saying those affected had urgent needs including psychological care, housing, reintegration aid and medical treatment.
“Both judicial and non-judicial accountability are key to provide much needed relief,” it said.
The Commission said recommendations from its previous reports remained in force.
In this latest report, those recommendations included calls on Russia to stop prosecuting prisoners of war for lawful combat, end torture, uphold fair trial rights, prevent sexual violence, halt deceptive foreign recruitment and end internal military abuses.
Ukraine was urged to narrow its “collaborative activities” law, improve mobilisation procedures and ensure legal protections for those detained or objecting to service.
The international community, meanwhile, was asked to strengthen monitoring, expand humanitarian support for affected families and back survivor-centred programmes for victims returning from detention or displacement.
Prof Pillay said the WCC stood in “profound solidarity” with affected children and their families and called on the Russian authorities to provide “the transparency and accountability that a report of this seriousness demands, putting the best interests of each child first.”]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[D’Artagnan's grave may have been found in Maastricht]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/dartagnan-s-grave-may-have-been-found-in-maastricht</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/dartagnan-s-grave-may-have-been-found-in-maastricht</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Staff writer]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiantoday.com/media/original/img/9/87/98727.jpg">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Dartagnan]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Getty/iStock) ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ A statue of d'Artagnan in front of the Armagnac Tower in Auch, France. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Sat, 28 Mar 2026 05:01:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[While The Three Musketeers is fictional, most of the characters in the story are based on real people.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
All for one and one for all. So goes the motto of the fictional Three Musketeers written by Alexandre Dumas. This much is well known, but what is less well known is that the hero of the story, D’Artagnan, was a real historical figure, with archaeologists now saying they may have found his remains in a Dutch church.
The real D’Artagnan was known as Charles de Batz de Castelmore and died during the siege of Maastricht in 1673 while in the service of Louis XIV, the “Sun King”. In the novel, D’Artagnan’s great opponent was Cardinal Richelieu, also a real historical figure, albeit one who died during the reign of the Sun King’s father, Louis XIII. It is unlikely that the two ever actually met.
When the real D’Artagnan was killed during the siege of Maastricht it is likely that he was buried in or near the town due to the summer heat.
St Peter and Paul Church in Maastricht has long been rumoured to hold his remains. An excavation of the floor of the church recently revealed a skeleton, buried below an altar. The skeleton was found with a bullet and a coin dated to 1660.
While the identity of the skeleton has not yet been confirmed, further tests are being carried out to determine if D’Artagnan has truly been found. Tests on bone fragments are being conducted in both Germany and the Netherlands to determine the sex and age of the skeleton.
Speaking to broadcaster Omroep, Limburg archaeologist Wim Dijkman said he was waiting for the results of a DNA analysis before coming to any conclusions.
"My expectations are high … I've already been researching d'Artagnan's grave for 28 years. This could be the highlight of my career."
D’Artagnan’s three companions, Athos, Porthos and Aramis, were also based on real historical figures. While Athos and Porthos were likely buried in local parish churches, Aramis’ final resting place is unknown.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Päivi Räsänen 'shocked and profoundly disappointed' after being convicted over pamphlet]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/paivi-rasanen-shocked-and-profoundly-disappointed-after-being-convicted-over-pamphlet</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/paivi-rasanen-shocked-and-profoundly-disappointed-after-being-convicted-over-pamphlet</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Staff writer]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Päivi Räsänen]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Getty/iStock) ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Päivi Räsänen ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Thu, 26 Mar 2026 09:07:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Finnish MP Päivi Räsänen has been criminally convicted for publishing a pamphlet in which she expressed a traditional view of marriage and sexuality. ]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Finnish MP Päivi Räsänen has been criminally convicted for publishing a pamphlet in which she expressed a traditional view of marriage and sexuality. 
The Finnish Supreme Court found her guilty of "hate speech" on one charge relating to the beliefs she expressed in the 2004 pamphlet. 
Lutheran Bishop Juhana Pohjola, who co-published the pamphlet, was also convicted. 
The Supreme Court found them guilty because the pamphlet was “made available to the public and kept available to the public opinions that insult homosexuals as a group on the basis of their sexual orientation”. 
The judgment added that “after a preliminary investigation into the matter was launched in 2019, Räsänen continued to share the article on her own internet and social media pages in 2019 and 2020”. 
She was unanimously acquitted of a 2019 Bible verse tweet in which she criticised her church's decision to sponsor a Pride event. The court unanimously held that it did not meet the criteria for the offence of incitement as she “justified her opinion by citing a biblical text” among other things. 
She and the bishop now face fines of several thousand euros and the court has ordered that the offending statements be “removed from public access and destroyed". 
Räsänen, who is the former Minister of the Interior, was convicted under a section of the Finnish criminal code titled “war crimes and crimes against humanity”. She had previously been acquitted on all charges by two lower courts. 
She admitted she was "shocked" by Thursday's verdict and said she is now considering taking her case to the European Court of Human Rights. 
“I am shocked and profoundly disappointed that the court has failed to recognize my basic human right to freedom of expression. I stand by the teachings of my Christian faith, and will continue to defend my and every person’s right to share their convictions in the public square," she said. 
“I am taking legal advice on a possible appeal to the European Court of Human Rights. This is not about my free speech alone, but that of every person in Finland. A positive ruling would help to prevent other innocent people from experiencing the same ordeal for simply sharing their beliefs."  
Speaking to reporters later, she said the mixed outcome "sends a troubling and contradictory message about the state of fundamental freedoms in Finland", but that she was trusting in God and believed "there is some purpose" to her seven-year legal battle. She also said the ruling would not stop her from expressing her beliefs. 
“On the one hand the court has affirmed that expressing one’s beliefs - even on matters that may be considered controversial - is not a crime. That is an important recognition," she said. 
“No democratic society can function without the robust protection of free speech, including the freedom to express religious convictions in the public square. The final acquittal on this charge is a key victory in protecting free speech. 
“On the other hand, by convicting me for expressing beliefs in a different context, the court has drawn an unclear, and I believe, dangerous line.”
Commenting on the verdict, Paul Coleman, Executive Director of ADF International, said, “Freedom of speech is a cornerstone of democracy. It is right that the Court has acquitted Päivi Räsänen for her 2019 Bible verse tweet.
"However, the conviction for a simple church pamphlet published decades ago – before the law under which she has been convicted was even passed – is an outrageous example of state censorship. This decision will create a severe chilling effect for everyone’s right to speak freely."
Mr Coleman told reporters later that the ruling "sets a new low bar for free speech in Europe", and is likely to have ramifications beyond Finland due to similar "vaguely worded" hate speech laws in other European countries.
He further warned that by cherry picking passages from a booklet published over 20 years ago, and before the law used as the basis for the prosecution had even come into existence, the verdict had created "impossible legal standards" and blurred the line between free speech and criminality. 
ADF CEO, Kristen Waggoner, said, “This ruling is a stark reminder that no democracy is immune from the erosion of fundamental freedoms. Punishing peaceful expression, especially when it is based on deeply held religious convictions, undermines the very foundation of free societies."]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Landmark ruling expected in Finnish politician's Bible tweet case]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/landmark-ruling-expected-in-finnish-politician-s-bible-tweet-case</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/landmark-ruling-expected-in-finnish-politician-s-bible-tweet-case</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Staff writer]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiantoday.com/media/original/img/9/87/98717.jpg">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Päivi Räsänen]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Getty/iStock) ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Päivi Räsänen ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Thu, 26 Mar 2026 08:17:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Päivi Räsänen's legal counsel has said the stakes are "extremely high".]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
A verdict is expected to be handed down today in the long-running case against Finnish Member of Parliament Päivi Räsänen and Lutheran Bishop, Juhana Pohjola.  
Both were charged with "hate speech" after publicly expressing biblical views about marriage and sexuality in a pamphlet they co-published in 2004. 
The charges against Mrs Räsänen, a former Minister of the Interior and boss of the Finnish police, also related to expression of these views in a tweet and comments she made during a live radio debate in 2019. 
In the tweet, she had criticised her denomination, the Evangelical Lutheran Church, for sponsoring a Pride event in Helsinki, and shared an image of a Bible verse from Romans chapter 1, which states, “The men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.”
She was charged with “agitation against a minority group” in 2021 under a section of the Finnish criminal code titled “war crimes and crimes against humanity”. Bishop Pohjola was charged in connection with publishing Räsänen’s 2004 pamphlet.  
Mrs Räsänen and Bishop Pohjola were both later cleared by the District Court of Helsinki and the Court of Appeal but the state prosecution appealed to the Finnish Supreme Court, which heard the case last October. 
Paul Coleman, director of the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), which has coordinated their legal defence, said the verdict "will be pivotal for free speech in Finland and across Europe". 
"At stake is the fundamental right of every individual to express deeply held beliefs without fear of criminal sanction," he said. 
"We are hopeful that the court will uphold the rule of law and confirm that peaceful expression, including the sharing of religious views, remains protected in a free and democratic society."
If found guilty, Mrs Räsänen and Bishop Pohjola face a fine of 10,000 euros each and the censorship of their comments. Thursday's decision of the Finnish Supreme Court is final. 
Speaking after last October's hearing, Mr Coleman said that the stakes in the case are "extremely high”, warning that a guilty verdict would “set a new low for freedom of expression in Europe and specifically for Christians”, while also opening the door for the criminalisation of many other people in Finland who have expressed similar views publicly. 
If, however, the Supreme Court upholds the previous not guilty verdicts of the lower courts, it will “set a very strong precedent in Finland … and strengthen the legal standard whether [people] agree with Päivi or not”.  
Kristen Waggoner, president of ADF International, said "a 6-year prosecution for tweeting a Bible verse should never have happened at all".
"We can no longer take liberty for granted in the West," she said. ]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Iran conflict could open doors for the Gospel, says mission agency]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/iran-conflict-could-open-doors-for-the-gospel-says-mission-agency</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/iran-conflict-could-open-doors-for-the-gospel-says-mission-agency</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Staff writer]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Bible in Farsi]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: EEM) ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Bibles in Farsi. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Wed, 25 Mar 2026 10:59:00 +0000</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[EEM is also calling for prayers for those impacted by the conflict.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Mission organisation EEM has said that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East could present a “historic opportunity” to spread the gospel into Iran, which heavily restricts Christian activity.
Iran is currently ranked the 10th worst persecutor of Christians in the World by Open Doors. Conversion from Islam is illegal and can potentially lead to the death penalty. Even members of the historic Christian communities report being treated as second class citizens.
Churches often fall victim to police raids, with pressure increasing during times of conflict, due to the perception that Christians may be aligned with the external enemies of the Islamic Republic.
This year has seen an intensification of efforts by Israel and the US to effect regime change in Iran.
EEM suggested that should the current regime fall, an unprecedented opportunity to spread the gospel would present itself.
Dirk Smith, vice president of the group, said, “The Bible already exists in the languages many Iranian people can read, but if the door opens, the need could be far greater than anything we have seen before. We want to be ready to respond at the scale that moment may require.” 
In preparation for such an opportunity, EEM has produced nearly 90,000 Bibles in Iranian languages. Among them is the first ever translation of the New Testament into Gilaki, a language spoken in northern Iran.
Smith added, "For generations many Iranians have lived with severe restrictions on access to the Bible. If greater openness comes, even briefly, the opportunity for people to encounter God's Word could be extraordinary.” 
While hoping for greater openness in Iran to Christianity and the scriptures, EEM said it recognised the seriousness of the current conflict, and urged Christians to “pray for peace and protection in Iran”.
Bart Rybinski, vice president of EEM European Operations, said, “Our first response must be prayer. This is a dangerous and deeply uncertain moment for the people of Iran, and we are asking Christians everywhere to pray for peace, for protection, and for the Lord to move powerfully in the midst of crisis.
"But we also have to be ready. If a door opens for more people in Iran to receive the Bible, we must be prepared to respond without delay.” ]]></content:encoded>
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