Saudi Arabia Will Not Allow Churches to be BuiltMay 17, 2018 — ICC Note: At the beginning of the month, Egyptian press ran stories that Saudi Arabia had agreed to allow Catholic churches to be built in country. These stories were widely...
Devastated Surabaya Churches Begin Recovery ProcessMay 17, 2018 — ICC Note: Two of the three churches attacked by suicide bombers in Surabaya have begun reconstruction work. They also vowed to help those who suffered loss and are still experiencing trauma....
Two Iranian Christians Temporarily Free from PrisonMay 17, 2018 — ICC Note: A choir leader in the Armenian Orthodox who has been incarcerated in the notorious Evin Prison for over a year has been granted a few days leave of...
Taiwan Bishops Invite Pope to Visit TaiwanMay 16, 2018 — ICC Note: Seven Taiwanese bishops visited Rome to meet and invite the Pope to make a historic visit to Taiwan next year, a move that would irritate China. There has been...
Surabaya Christians Still Shocked After the Bombing AttacksMay 16, 2018 — ICC Note: Christians in Surabaya have not yet recovered from the shock and loss suffered following the suicide bombing attacks on three churches on May 13. Believers came out and shared...
Reconciliation Session Leads to Church ClosureMay 16, 2018 — ICC Note: A reconciliation session following a mid-April attack on a church has resulted in a settlement dictating that the church will remain closed until officially legalized. However, the authorities...
House Churches in Beijing Face Increasing Pressure from the GovernmentMay 15, 2018 — ICC Note: Two house churches in Beijing report that local authorities have investigated their venues in the past week and pressured landlords to stop leasing to the churches. House churches in...
Remains of 20 Martyrs Returned HomeMay 15, 2018 — ICC Note: At long last, after multiple promises and delays, the remains of the 20 Egyptian Christians martyred by ISIS in Libya have returned home. The remains were found in...
Myanmar’s Churches Become Shelters for Thousands of Kachin IDPsMay 15, 2018 — ICC Note: More than thousands of internally displaced Kachin have taken refuge in churches as a result of the Burmese military’s ongoing offensive against ethnic rebel groups. The situation is worrisome...
Iran Strictly Controls Religious MinoritiesMay 15, 2018 — ICC Note: Shia Islam is the state religion in Iran, with Christians being regulated to second class citizens. However, only individuals whose families were Christian before the revolution are recognized...
Turkish Christians Hopeful Seminary Will ReopenMay 14, 2018 — ICC Note: The Turkish authorities closely regulate Christians ability to train religious leaders, in many cases making it almost impossible to achieve within the country. The Greek Orthodox Theological School...
Myanmar’s Invisible War on the Kachin Christians is Taking PlaceMay 14, 2018 — ICC Note: While the world zooms in on the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar, there are more than 6,800 Kachin Christian villagers forced to flee mortar and heavy weapon attacks from the...
Authorities Again Promise to Return Remains of Christian MartyrsMay 14, 2018 — ICC Note: Once again, the authorities have told the families of the 21 Christians beheaded by ISIS in Libya that the return of their remains is imminent. This is not...
Algerian Fined for Importing Crucifix KeyringsMay 13, 2018 — ICC Note: Idir Hamdad, an Algerian convert, has been fined $175 for “importing unlicensed goods.” This is a reference to the Bible and crucifix keyrings which he was found to...
China Arrests Sichuan Pastor, Prevents Memorial Service on Earthquake AnniversaryMay 13, 2018 — ICC Note: China arrests an outspoken pastor in Sichuan and prevents him and his congregation from holding a memorial service to mourn the death of more than 70,000 on the 10th...
Iraq’s Christians Go to the PollsMay 12, 2018 — ICC Note: Today, Iraq is voting in its fourth election cycle since the fall of Saddam and its first election since the rise of ISIS. Both events lead to a...
