A grassroots coalition is staging join a 24-hour Good Friday prayer marathon for persecuted Christians, to be held online, with the participation of religious leaders from persecuted communities in China, Iraq, Iran, Nigeria, Ethiopia and other countries. To be held via Zoom, the event is set to start at sunrise [...]
An Italian missionary priest Father Pier Luigi Maccalli who was kidnapped in Niger in September 2018 has been seen in a jihadist video, according to a newspaper report, in the first proof of life since his abduction in 2018. The newspaper of the bishops reports that “as a further proof [...]
In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, many messages from the project partners of Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) have reached the Pontifical Foundation in recent days. They express solidarity, encouragement in prayer, thankfulness: Touching expressions from our brothers and sisters. “This brief note is to let you [...]
Jihadist groups raise the black flag in Mozambique “What is happening is a disgrace", the Bishop of Pemba laments, following the most recent attack in his diocese. Last Monday, 23 March, for several hours an armed group of terrorists attacked and occupied the port of Mocímboa da Praia, a town [...]
An intrepid nun, who coordinates emergency relief in Syria, has responded to the coronavirus pandemic by sending a message of prayer and solidarity to friends and benefactors of Aid to the Church in Need In an audio message, Sister Annie Demerjian, a leading Syria project partner of Aid to the [...]
Because of the COVID-19 epidemic and confinement measures, pilgrims are staying away from the Holy Land. The streets of Jerusalem will certainly be quite empty at Easter. ACN International looks at the situation and relays the calls to pray for local Christians. The cancellation of pilgrimages will have serious repercussions [...]
ACN mourns the death of Bishop Angelo Moreschi, Apostolic Vicar of Gambella (Ethiopia), who passed away on the Feast of the Annunciation, 25 March 2020, in Brescia, Italy. He was the first Catholic bishop and first ACN project partner who fell victim of COVID-19. Bishop Angelo Moreschi was born on [...]
The icon of Our Lady Consoler of the Syrian people blessed by the Holy Father as part of ACN's prayer campaign for Syrian Christians tagged “Console my people” has continued its voyage across Syria and will go on until 31st of May. This campaign which seeks to perpetuate the memory of [...]
The Saint John the Merciful table project supported by Aid to the Church in Need at the Syrian border in Zahleh, Lebanon where 300 refugee families are fed daily continues despite the limitations posed by measures taken to contain and prevent the spread of the coronavirus in Lebanon. Adjusting to [...]
For the umpteenth time no progress has been made in the case of Huma Younus, the 14-year-old Catholic girl abducted on 10 October last year in Karachi, Pakistan, then raped, forcibly 'converted‘ to Islam and forced to 'marry‘ her own abductor. As reported to ACN by the lawyer representing the [...]
