More stories in world

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  Persecution set to rise in India and China in 2021 - report

  Staff writer | Tue 29 Dec 2020 12:20 GMT

  Persecution has been widespread across India and China even during the pandemic, but things are only likely to get worse in 2021, Release International has warned.

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  Suspects arrested over arson attacks on church

  Anugrah Kumar | Tue 29 Dec 2020 6:07 GMT

  Police in Sudan have arrested nine men in connection with a series of arson attacks on church property and for threatening churchgoers in the Dar El-Salam area of Omdurman in the capital, Khartoum, according to a report.

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  First Christmas in 10 years at church where al-Qaeda massacred dozens of Christians

  Anugrah Kumar | Tue 29 Dec 2020 6:02 GMT

  A church in Iraq's capital of Baghdad that witnessed the massacre of dozens of worshippers by al-Qaeda gunmen in 2010 celebrated Christmas in their place of worship for the first time in 10 years, with their faith still intact.

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  Christmas has been 'very hard' for Christians in the Holy Land

  Staff writer | Mon 28 Dec 2020 8:24 GMT

  It could be Christmas 2021 before the Holy Land starts to get back on its feet, Friends of the Holy Land has warned.

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  At least 11 dead and priest abducted in Christmas Eve attack on Christian village

  Staff writer | Sat 26 Dec 2020 13:09 GMT

  A predominantly Christian village in Nigeria was attacked on Christmas Eve, leaving several people dead.

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  For Mosul's Christians, it's been another Christmas away from home

  Open Doors UK | Sat 26 Dec 2020 9:53 GMT

  This is the seventh Christmas that 11-year-old Fakhri is celebrating away from home, his church and his friends. Fakhri and many other children who fled Mosul, Iraq, with their families years ago, barely remember what their homes looked like.

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  Church leaders in call for peace in South Sudan

  Staff writer | Fri 25 Dec 2020 9:51 GMT

  Pope Francis, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Moderator of the Church of Scotland General Assembly have urged the leaders of South Sudan to pursue peace.

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  Hardline Hindus in India want Christmas banned

  Staff writer | Thu 24 Dec 2020 12:41 GMT

  Hardline Hindus have petitioned the authorities in Gujarat to stop Christians from celebrating Christmas.

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  Christians in Nigeria 'expect to be attacked at Christmas'

  Staff writer | Wed 23 Dec 2020 12:19 GMT

  All Nigerians are living in fear of attacks and kidnappings, says Open Doors' Illia Djadi, but for Christians being consistently targeted by Islamist radicals, Christmas is an especially anxious time.

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  Archaeologists uncover ritual bath from the time of Jesus at Gethsemane

  Jennifer Lee | Tue 22 Dec 2020 9:08 GMT

  A ritual bath dating to the time of Jesus has been unearthed at Gethsemane, the place where Jesus prayed just before his Crucifixion.

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  Armenians say goodbye to their churches in Nagorno-Karabakh

  Open Doors UK | Sun 20 Dec 2020 8:20 GMT

  Armenians in the region fear that their ancestral Christian heritage is now threatened under Azerbaijan's control.