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Pope Francis congratulates all Christians on Easter

April 16, 2017 by administrator

Pope Francis on Sunday encouraged people to hold fast in their “fearful hearts” to faith despite all the wars, sickness and hatred in the world, acknowledging on Easter Sunday that many wonder where God is amid so much evil and suffering.

Tens of thousands of faithful braved heavy security checks — and, later, a brief downpour from what had been sunny skies — to enter St. Peter’s Square where Francis celebrated Mass on the steps leading to St. Peter’s Basilica.

Pope Francis on Easter Sunday gave his tradition Urbi et Orbi (to the city and the world) message from the central loggia of St Peter’s Basilica. In it he prayed that Risen Lord would walk beside those who are marginalized who are victimized by old and new forms of slavery. The Holy Father also prayed the Lord would bring peace to the Middle East, come to the aid of Ukraine, shed his blessing upon the continent of Europe and build bridges of dialogue in Latin America.

Mass rally in Yemen in defiance of Saudi airstrikes

August 20, 2016 by administrator

A massive rally has been held in Sanaa in support of Houthi rebels and thier allies. It comes a week after parliament approved a new ruling council.

In a show of force, hundreds of thousands of flag-waving Yemenis rallied on Saturday in the capital Sanaa in support of Houthi rebels and their ally, former president Ali Abdullah Saleh.

The protest was held in support of a 10-member ruling council set up last month by the Houthis and Saleh allies in defiance of the country’s internationally recognized president, Abd Rabu Mansour Hadi.

It comes a week after parliament convened for the first time in two years to approve the council after UN-backed peace talks between the warring parties broke down last month.

Hadi, the UN and Saudi Arabia have condemned the council and called it illegitimate.

Saleh al-Samad, the head of the council, told the rally a new government would be decided on in the “next few days.”

The protestors also shouted slogans condemning the Saudi-led military campaign, which has rained further destruction on the Arab world’s poorest state since a restart of operations that followed the breakdown of peace talks.

Saudi-led coaltion jets conducted airstrikes around Sana’a as the demonstration unfolded, including targeting of the presidential palace.

The Saudi-led coalition of Arab states intervened in March 2015 to restore power to Hadi, who was forced to flee the country after Houthi rebels and forces loyal to Saleh took over the capital and other parts of the country in September 2014.

Despite the coalition campaign, Hadi allied forces on the ground have failed to dislodge Houthis from large parts of the country, including the capital.

The conflict has killed at least 6,400 people and displaced nearly 2.5 million, prompting rising international calls for the coalition to halt bombing and the US to withdraw intelligence and air-refueling support. Nearly 80 percent of the population is in need of humanitarian assistance.

The fighting has also opened up room for al-Qaeda and the so-called “Islamic State” to operate.

cw/rc (AP, dpa)

Video Geert Wilders: We Must Preserve Western Identity and Civilisation By Ending Muslim Mass Migration

June 30, 2016 by administrator

By OLIVER JJ LANE,

Dutch Freedom Party (PVV) leader Geert Wilders has made an impassioned plea for Western patriots to stand up and reject hatred and terrorism in the wake of several Islamist terror attacks.

Mr. Wilders has accused Western governments of being “dangerously blind” to the dangers of Islamisation, reeling off a list of recent terror attacks and calling for an end to Muslim migration. He said: “Western governments remain dangerously blind to the danger of Islamization. Islam is a religion of peace, they say but that is a lie. Look at what happened at Istanbul.

“Look at what happened in Orlando a few weeks ago. Look at what happened last March at Brussels airport and metro station, look at what happened at the Bataclan Theatre in Paris last November. Look at what happened in San Bernardino last December.

“The list is endless. And everything this list has in common is Islam”.

Mr. Wilders moved to clarify his point, remarking that while he believed that Islam was a significant problem for the West, individual Muslims could be good people. Regardless, he said: “no honest individual can say with a straight face that Islam is a doctrine of peace of freedom”.

Outlining how he proposed to defend Europe from radical Islamism, Mr. Wilders said that a “patriotic spring” was on its way, and remarked: “People often ask me ‘what can be done?’ and the answer is actually quite simple.

“Reject the fatalism. Islamisation is not inevitable. The first thing we need to do is recognize that Islam, and nothing but Islam, is the cause of our problems, and the next thing is to close our doors to Islamic intolerance… all immigration from Islamic countries.”

Stressing the importance of integration of Muslims into Western society, Mr. Wilders said those who were willing to work to fit in could fit in could stay, but those who wanted to create parallel Islamic societies within the West would be better off going to nations which already catered to their needs.

He said: “Those who are already here are welcome to stay if they live according to our laws and constitution. But if they want to live according to Sharia law they should go to places like Saudi Arabia where there are no elections and no freedom of speech.

“Where women and non-Muslims are inferior beings and where dissidents are jailed, lashed are executed. We are the opposite of that and we want to keep it that way. More and more Patriots all over the West are beginning to realize that it is the time to draw the line.”

Issuing a call to arms, Mr. Wilders concluded: “The Patriot spring is on its way. People want their country back, they and want to preserve their freedom and security. They don’t want Sharia law here. They want to de-Islamize their societies.

“My friends, Islam and freedom are incompatible so join us stand for freedom, your own freedom, the freedom of your children and grandchildren, and defend the identity and civilization of the West.”

Geert Wilders is a veteran campaigner for Freedom in Europe and is one of the best-known counter-Islamification activists. Speaking to Breitbart London earlier this month in the wake of a brutal Islamist killing in Paris, he said: “Ramadan is the deadliest time of the year. We should acknowledge that Islam is the problem. Islam and freedom are incompatible. We must de-Islamize our Western societies”.

Source: http://www.breitbart.com/london/2016/06/30/geert-wilders-istanbul-orlando-brussels-paris-time-end-mass-muslim-migration/

Mass in Turkey’s Armenian church cancelled over terrorism fears

August 24, 2015 by administrator

The annual holy mass in the reconstructed Armenian church on Turkey’s Akhtamar island has been cancelled over fears of new terrorist acts.

The Armenian patriarchate made a decision to cancel the ritual (set to take place on Sept 6), as well as the annual pilgrimage to the island in the wake of the past days’ deadly events in Van and the neighboring regions. It has issued a statement warning about the plan.
Since its re-opening in 2007, the renovated church annually hosted a liturgy ahead of the Feast of Cross.

Sunday LIVE FROM THE BASILICA SAINT-PIERRE ROME Pope Francis celebrates a Mass in memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide

April 11, 2015 by administrator

Sunday morning at 9 am, the Pope will celebrate Mass François in the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome on the occasion of the centenary of the Armenian Genocide in the presence of the President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan and His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians. Mass will be celebrated in Armenian rite.

That same day at 22:15 on France 5, Armenian Genocide, the 1915 spectrum, a poignant documentary based on the testimonies of Turks whose history is linked to massacres of 1915. With Hasan Cemal, journalist and writer, grand-son of Cemal Pacha plannificateurs -one of the genocide-which, after a personal journey, married the Armenian cause and is now working to recognize the genocide. There also Fethiye Cetin, lawyer and human rights which, in adulthood, discovered the Armenian roots that her grandmother had hidden to survive when she was a child. She then led us in his footsteps in the village where the latter spent his childhood in an attempt to reconstruct its history. The camera goes to meet those who are trying to give a place to the Armenian community in the current Turkish society and into the museum erected in Yerevan, Armenia, in memory of the victims. But it also crosses Turks still deny activism with the reality of a genocidal massacre. A moving panorama of the weight of a controversial Turkish past.

Sarkisian to Attend Armenian Genocide Mass at Vatican

April 9, 2015 by administrator

$Pope Francis delivers his 'Urbi et Orbi' (to the city and to the world) blessing from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica on Christmas Day. (Photo: AP \ Alessandra Tarantino)$

Pope Francis delivers his ‘Urbi et Orbi’ (to the city and to the world) blessing from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica on Christmas Day. (Photo: AP \ Alessandra Tarantino)

VATICAN CITY—Armenia’s President Serzh Sarkisian is on an official state visit to Italy, where he will meet with Italian leaders and will participate in a Mass in memory of the Armenian Genocide at the Vatican.

President Sarkisian will visit the Vittoriano Museum of Rome to view an exhibition titled “Armenia: People of Ark,” dedicated to the Armenian Genocide centennial.

On Saturday, the President will participate in a Mass to be celebrated by His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, and Cardinal Sepe at the St. Gregory the Illuminator Church of Naples. As part of the ceremony, a replica of one of the ancient cross-stones of Jugha, which were destroyed by the Azeri government, will be unveiled in memory of the Armenian Genocide.

On April 12, the Armenian President will visit the Vatican, where he will attend a Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica lead by Pope Francis to mark the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

“For Armenians, this centennial won’t feel much different a year, two, five, six, seven or even 200 years from now,” Mikayel Minasyan, Armenia’s Ambassador to the Vatican, said. “Armenians have been fighting their own inner war against injustice and ignorance for 100 years. This anniversary is important for the world, for Armenians, at this point, it doesn’t really change much, but it’s a way for the world to hear the truth.”

Armenia’s ambassador says history is now repeating itself. “Christians from Iraq and Syria are using the same escape routes that Armenians used 100 years ago. Why? Because governments deny history, they avoid speaking about the truth. They use cynicism to address political and historical facts.”

During Sunday’s Mass, which will follow the Armenian rite, the Pope will also officially name Armenian Saint Gregory of Narek as a Doctor of the Church.