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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jan 15, 2025 / 14:45 pm (CNA).

A Texas Catholic shelter network defended itself at the state Supreme Court this week against allegations that the nonprofit unlawfully harbors "aliens" who entered the country illegally.

Annunciation House, which has operated along the southern U.S. border for nearly 50 years, asked the Texas Supreme Court on Jan. 13 to block Attorney General Ken Paxton's effort to shut down the organization over the alleged violations. The shelter network contends it has never violated state law and accuses the attorney general's office of curtailing its religious mission of caring for those in need.

Several justices on the nine-member court appeared skeptical of the attorney general's claims and expressed religious liberty concerns. Paxton is Republican, as are all nine of the justices.

Lawyers debate 'harboring' allegation 

Ryan Baasch, who represented the attorney general's office, told the justices that Annunciation House "is not immunized because of its religion" and that the nonprofit cannot claim religious liberty protections if it violates Texas laws that prohibit alien harboring.

"Annunciation House's purpose is to shelter illegally present aliens," Baasch contended. "That distinguishes them from a service provider that serves all indiscriminately."

Baasch alleged that Annunciation House "takes active measures to hamper law enforcement," but when pressed to provide specifics, he simply cited examples of when the Catholic network refused entry to police "because they didn't have a warrant."

Although one of the justices noted that the Fourth Amendment protects against warrantless searches in most cases, Baasch said the shelters "are essentially open to the public at large" and asserted they do not have a reasonable expectation of privacy.

"They don't have a right to demand a warrant when they let any alien in indiscriminately, including illegally present ones," Baasch claimed. "Those are criminals under the federal code. If you enter illegally, that's a crime under the federal code. They let them in indiscriminately. They don't let law enforcement in."

Amy Warr, who represented Annunciation House, accused the attorney general's office of using "rhetoric" that is inconsistent with the facts in the case. She said that most of the people who are helped by Annunciation House are brought by law enforcement and that police can enter if they present a warrant.

"We are not concealing anyone [or] hiding anyone from detection from law enforcement," Warr told the justices.

"Everyone in El Paso, including law enforcement, knows that we are there and [knows] what we do … as part of our mission, that we house undocumented people and, principally, documented people — people brought to us by federal law enforcement authorities," Warr said.

Warr argued that "most of the people we house are documented," adding: "Most of the people who we house are brought to us by [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] after they have processed them and they need a place to stay."

Justices consider religious liberty concerns

The justices pressed Baasch on their religious liberty concerns early into his testimony and asked him questions about whether caring for migrants constitutes protected religious activity.

"Do you disagree that this is religious activity?" Justice Debra Lehrmann, who was appointed by former Gov. Rick Perry, asked Baasch.

"It may be," Baasch responded. "And then there's going to be a question of whether the activity at issue here substantially burdens the religious activity."

Justice Jeff Boyd, another Perry appointee, chimed in to question how it could not be a substantial burden, adding: "I think you want to shut it down."

Baasch contended that the attorney general's office needs to shut down Annunciation House's operations because otherwise "there's absolutely no deterrent effect." 

"If organizations know that they can engage in this activity and that the worst that's going to happen is they get [told to stop], nothing stops them from engaging in the activity in the first instance," Baasch said.

Baasch asserted that there is not a substantial religious liberty burden because Annunciation House could live out their faith without providing assistance to migrants who are in the country illegally. 

"If it's an exercise of their religion to be serving the needy [and] clothing the poor … well they can do that for [United States] citizens [and] they can do that for legally present aliens," Baasch said. "All the alien harboring ban says is that you can't do that for illegally present aliens. So I think the burden would be very minor if anything at all."

Warr, who called Annunciation House "an established ministry of the Catholic Church," said all of the legal procedures initiated by the attorney general's office have violated the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. 

"The whole scheme is invalid facially under the First Amendment," she said.

Elizabeth Kiernan, a lawyer for First Liberty Institute, also provided arguments to the court. First Liberty Institute, which advocates religious freedom, filed a brief with the court against a forced closure of Annunciation House.

Kiernan said the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act "protects this religious charity against outright closure." 

When asked about Baasch's claim that Annunciation House could serve those in need without focusing on migrants, she compared the nonprofit's focus on one subset to the Church having "different monastic orders devoted to different subsets of the poor, serving different charities."

"Annunciation House answered the Gospel of Matthew's call to care for the least of these in the service of Christ," Kiernan said. "The Catholic Church has claimed Annunciation House as one of its own and Annunciation House's founder testified that its acts of charity are motivated by its Catholic faith."

In July, a district court threw out the attorney general's lawsuit against Annunciation House. This led the attorney general's office to appeal the case to the Texas Supreme Court.

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ACI Prensa Staff, Jan 15, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

The Vatican City State has toughened sanctions for those who try to illegally enter its territory in areas where free access is not allowed.

In a decree issued last month by the Holy See, the monetary sanctions and prison sentences for those who violate the strict security regulations of Vatican City have been considerably increased.

The document, signed by Cardinal Fernando Vérguez Alzaga, president of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State, provides for monetary fines ranging from 10,000 to 25,000 euros (about $10,200 to $25,700) and prison sentences ranging from one to four years. 

These fines will apply especially to those who enter by means of violence, threats, or deception, bypassing border controls or security systems. In addition, those who enter with expired permits or do not meet the established requirements will receive administrative sanctions ranging from 2,000 to 5,000 euros (about $2,060 to $5,145).

The decree emphasizes that the penalties can be increased if the crime is committed with firearms, corrosive substances, by a person in disguise, or by several people together. Likewise, if illegal access is made in a vehicle, the penalty can increase by up to two-thirds.

The document also stipulates that unauthorized overflight of Vatican airspace, including through the use of drones, may be punished with prison sentences from six months to three years in addition to a fine that could reach 25,000 euros (about $26,000).

Anyone convicted of illegal entry will be banned from entering Vatican territory for a period of up to 15 years. If this sanction is breached, the offender may be punished with a prison sentence of one to five years.

In addition, the Vatican's promoter of justice may summon any person who has committed an offense to appear before the court the day after receiving the complaint or immediately after questioning him.

Vatican City is the smallest state in the world and currently has a population of just over 800 inhabitants. The city-state covers 0.17 square miles. If it were perfectly square, the Vatican would be less than a half mile by a half mile.

The Vatican City State includes areas with free access, such as St. Peter's Basilica or the Vatican Museums, which require prior security checks.

However, there are other entrances flanked by high walls, such as Porta Santa Ana, Piazza del Sant'Uffizio, or Porta Perugino, reserved for authorized personnel or visitors with special permits.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

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ACI Africa, Jan 15, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

The two members of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Mother of Christ, (IHM) who were abducted on Jan. 7 from the Archdiocese of Onitsha in Nigeria have regained their freedom, the leadership of the sisters' congregation in the West African nation has said.

In a statement that ACI Africa obtained on Tuesday, IHM secretary-general in Nigeria Sister Maria Sobenna Ikeotuonye said the two sisters were "released unconditionally" and that they are "in good health."

"I bring to your notice in joy that our dear Sisters Vincentia Maria Nwankwo and Grace Mariette Okoli, who were kidnapped in the evening of Tuesday 7th January, 2025, have been released unconditionally and in good health," Ikeotuonye said in the statement dated Jan. 13. 

Ikeotuonye went on to acknowledge with appreciation those who accompanied IHM members in prayer during the weeklong tribulation following the abduction that took place in Anambra state in the southeastern region of Nigeria. 

"We thank God and thank you all for your prayers and support all through these rough and uncertain days," Ikeotuonye said. "May God forever be blessed through Mary our mother."

Sisters Vincentia Maria and Mariette were kidnapped along Ufuma road while returning from their vocational association's meeting at Ogboji in Anambra State.

In a statement following the abduction of the two women, Ikeotuonye appealed for spiritual solidarity, saying: "We solicit your fervent prayers and supplications to God that they may be released as soon as possible and come back to us safe and sound."

"We commend our Sisters Vincentia Maria and Grace Mariette to the powerful intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary for their speedy release from the hands of their kidnappers," she stated in her statement dated Jan. 8, a day after the abduction incident. 

Nigeria has been grappling with Muslim extremist violence since 2009, perpetrated by groups such as Boko Haram, which reportedly persecute Christians, sometimes kidnapping them for ransom and, in some cases, killing them.

A 2025 report by the pontifical charity foundation Aid to the Church in Need International brought some hopeful news showing that fewer clergy and religious were kidnapped in 2024 compared with the previous year, 2023, and that in 2024, none of the abducted clergy and religious were killed.

Sabrine Amboka contributed to this story.

This story was first published by ACI Africa, CNA's news partner in Africa, and has been adapted by CNA.

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Rome Newsroom, Jan 14, 2025 / 09:35 am (CNA).

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin met with 14 Middle East pontifical representatives in Jordan on Monday to discuss challenges in the region including ongoing hostilities there.

Parolin met with the papal representatives of Bahrain, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Syria, and Yemen.

According to a Jan. 13 statement from the Holy See, Parolin met with the religious leaders to discuss the current crises affecting the region, including the need for Christians to address the serious political and humanitarian situations affecting the countries' populations.

"Hope was expressed that there would soon be a cessation of hostilities on all fronts and that the Middle East could be a land of peace," the statement read.

"Christians remain an essential element of fraternal coexistence among the various religions and of the progress of the respective nations," the statement continued.

Parolin's meeting with the Middle East representatives comes days after his participation in the Jan. 10 consecration of the Church of the Baptism of Jesus at Al-Maghtas — the historic baptismal site of Our Lord also known as "Bethany Beyond the Jordan."

During the Jan. 10 Mass celebration, Parolin reiterated Pope Francis' desire for the whole Church to be closely united with Christian communities of the Middle East.

Vatican News reported the pope's secretary of state also had a phone call with Lebanon's new President-elect Joseph Aoun.

"His Eminence [Parolin] congratulated him on his election to the presidency of the republic and extended his best wishes, assuring him of his prayers," Vatican News reported, quoting a Holy See Press Office statement.

Aoun, a Maronite Catholic, is the only Christian national leader in the Middle East region. Prior to his Jan. 9 election Lebanon had been without a president since October 2022.

In 2024, Pope Francis used his Dec. 1 Angelus address to invite Catholics to pray especially for peace for peoples in Lebanon, Israel, Gaza, Palestine, and Syria, which have been impacted by political turmoil, violence, displacement, and inadequate access to humanitarian assistance.

During the Dec. 1 address, the pontiff also included an urgent plea for Lebanese authorities to elect a president "immediately" and promote the country's role in the region to be an "example of peaceful coexistence between different religions" in the region.

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Rome Newsroom, Jan 14, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

Indonesian Archbishop Paulus Budi Kleden, SVD, has spoken out against government-backed geothermal projects in Flores, the country's most Catholic island located in East Nusa Tenggara.

According to UCA News, Indonesia's Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry designated Flores a "geothermal spot" in 2017, identifying 16 project sites on the island in spite of strong opposition from local villagers.

"After hearing testimonies from several people, from Sokoria and Mataloko, and discussions with several priests, I have decided to reject geothermal projects in three vicariates," Kleden said in a Jan. 10 video message.

Kleden, who became archbishop of Ende in August 2024, said residents have complained of the depletion of water springs in Sokoria and hot mud eruptions in Mataloko, UCA News reported.   

Kleden is the first Indonesian archbishop to speak out publicly against the government's energy plans in Flores, insisting that the projects have triggered a life-threatening "ecological disaster" on the island.

In addition to encouraging priests in the Ende Archdiocese to take a stand against the social and environmental harm caused by mining activities, Kleden said local residents should be encouraged to seek appropriate legal advice to protect their land.

The Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation Commission (JPIC) of the Franciscans and Divine Word congregations — who are both active and outspoken about mining in Flores — welcomed moves by the Indonesian government to protect environmental activists in September 2024 following violent 2023 protests in Poco Leok that involved Catholic student activists and Indigenous communities calling for the protection of customary land in Flores.

Father Simon Suban Tukan, JPIC coordinator for the Society of the Divine Word in West Flores, told UCA News that the new law is important to protect the rights of environmental activists who feel threatened by a "government agenda that emphasizes investment." 

Besides religious institutions, international organizations have also responded to the mounting local opposition against geothermal plans in Flores. In October 2023, the World Bank canceled its financial support for one project on the island.

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Madrid, Spain, Jan 14, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

"Hope," the autobiography of Pope Francis, hit the shelves of Italian bookstores Tuesday and will be on sale starting Jan. 16 in more than 100 countries.

The book marks the first time a pope has provided a first-person narration of the episodes that have marked his entire life, in this case from his childhood in Argentina in a family of Italian immigrants to becoming the successor of St. Peter.

Published by Random House in its 320-page English edition, the book is the result of six years of work and was written with the collaboration of journalist Carlo Musso, who helped the Holy Father tell his story.

In addition to his memoirs, in the book the pope takes up issues such as war and peace, immigration, the environmental crisis, social policy, sexuality, and the future of the Catholic Church. All of this under the rubric of hope, a theme that is also being highlighted during the 2025 Jubilee.

In a recent interview, Pope Francis said the book was originally planned to be published following his death. "But since I'm not dying (he laughs), they're afraid that it will lose relevance and they decided to do it now," the Holy Father explained last December in a conversation with Argentine journalist Bernarda Llorente.

The pontiff, according to the excerpts released by the publishing house, begins his memoirs with an episode that marked his destiny: the sinking of the transatlantic ship Princesa Mafalda, known as the "Italian Titanic."

His grandparents, together with his father, Mario, bought tickets to sail on the ship that left Genoa on Oct. 11, 1927, bound for Buenos Aires. However, they ultimately didn't board the vessel because they were unable to sell their belongings in time. "That's why I am here now; you can't imagine how many times I have thanked Divine Providence for it," the pontiff recounts in his autobiography.

He also brings up memories from his childhood at "531 Membrillar Street" in the Flores neighborhood of Buenos Aires, as well as the friendships he forged there, including with a prostitute known as "La Parota," who decided to change her life and leave the streets to care for the elderly.

'Healthy irony' as a medicine to counter narcissism

The Holy Father devotes a large amount of space in his autobiography to reflecting on the value of a sense of humor to deal with sadness and "healthy irony" as a medicine to counter narcissism.

"Irony is medicine, not only to elevate and enlighten others but also for oneself, because self-irony is a powerful tool to overcome the temptation of narcissism. Narcissists continually look in the mirror, they get all primped up, they observe themselves over and over again, but the best advice in front of a mirror is always to laugh at oneself. It will do us good," the pope comments in the book.

Throughout its pages, the reader will even find some jokes told by the pope himself. The Italian newspaper Avvenire gave a preview of one of them:

"And they also told me one that concerns me directly, that of Pope Francis in America. It goes more or less like this: As soon as he lands at the New York airport for his apostolic trip to the United States, Pope Francis finds an enormous limousine waiting for him. He is a little embarrassed by all that pomp, but then he thinks that he hasn't driven in ages, and never a car like that, and in short he says to himself: Well, when will I get another chance? He looks at the limousine and asks the driver: 'Would you let me try it?' And the driver: 'Look, I'm really sorry, Your Holiness, but I just can't do it, you know the procedures, the protocols…' 

"But you know how they say the pope is when he gets something into his head; in short he insists and insists, until the guy gives in. Pope Francis then gets behind the wheel on one of those major streets and ... gets a taste for it, starts to press on the accelerator: going 50, 80, 120... Until a siren is heard and a police car pulls up alongside him and stops him. 

"A young policeman approaches the tinted window, the slightly intimidated pope rolls it down and the man turns pale. 'Excuse me a minute,' he says, and goes back to his car to call the station. 'Chief... I think I have a problem.' And the chief says, 'What problem?' 'Well, I stopped a car for speeding... but there's a really important guy in it.' 'How important? Is he the mayor?' 'No, chief, more than the mayor...' 'And who is more than the mayor? The governor?' 'No, more...' 'But is he the president?' 'More, I think...' 'And who could possibly be more important than the president?' 'Look, chief, I don't know exactly who he is, but I'll just tell you that the pope is his chauffeur!'"

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

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ACI Prensa Staff, Jan 13, 2025 / 16:45 pm (CNA).

The new year has seen the Nicaraguan dictatorship cancel the legal personhood of 15 nonprofit organizations, adding to the more than 5,400 nongovernmental organizations shut down since 2018 by the regime of President Daniel Ortega and his wife and "co-president," Rosario Murillo.

The official government newspaper La Gaceta announced on Jan. 8 the "voluntary dissolution" of 11 of these organizations, including Save the Children and the Dominican Nuns Foundation of Nicaragua.

According to its website, Save the Children has been working in the Central American country since 1986. "Save the Children's work in Nicaragua centers on four program areas: education, health and nutrition, child rights governance, and child protection in addition to having the ability to respond to potential humanitarian situations," the organization indicated, adding that it had 46 people working in Managua and Matagalpa.

Also among the 11 organizations that were "voluntarily dissolved" are the Ebenezer Christian Missionary Foundation, the Fundamental Baptist Church Association of Matagalpa, and the Help for Nicaragua Foundation.

Four of the 15 organizations were canceled "for failing to comply with their obligations": the Nicaraguan House of Spirituality, Culture, History, Anthropology, Archaeology, and Art Foundation; the Comprehensive Services Association for Women; the Christ Is Coming Pentecost Ministry Foundation; and the Río Prinzapolka Foundation.

The decision to cancel the 15 organizations was made known through two ministerial agreements approved by the minister of the interior, María Amelia Coronel Kinloch.

In 2024, the dictatorship canceled approximately 1,700 nonprofit organizations. On Aug. 19 of last year alone, the dictatorship closed a total of 1,500 organizations, of which 678 were Christian, including Catholic and evangelical entities.

In its 2025 global report, the evangelical organization International Christian Concern charged that the dictatorship has used the Ministry of the Interior to persecute "hundreds of churches, aid groups, and other religious organizations" and had closed down 315 religious organizations in 2023.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

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CNA Staff, Jan 13, 2025 / 17:15 pm (CNA).

The Amerigo Vespucci, an Italian naval ship named after the 15th-century explorer that inspired the name "America," has been designated a 2025 Jubilee church.

Archbishop Santo Marcianò of the Military Ordinariate of Italy officially designated the ship as a jubilee church for 2025, according to a Jan. 9 statement from the ship's press office.

He explained that the ship's chaplain, Don Mauro Medaglini, "will have the task of accompanying the sailors in this precious time of the jubilee. During its long navigation, the Vespucci has always had the presence of several chaplains who have alternated, silently but very effectively, accompanying the spiritual life of the crew, and they will do so in a particular way in this year of the Jubilee of Hope."

The ship, which dates back to 1931, has been touring the world as a cultural ambassador for Italy since July 2023. During its journey, the Amerigo Vespucci has stopped in places including Los Angeles; Tokyo; Mumbai, India; Doha, Qatar; and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, among others. 

Despite not having a designated chapel onboard, the ship's chaplain is able to celebrate Mass on the quarterdeck, a structure raised above the deck, when weather permits, or in an atrium inside.

The statement said that the Amerigo Vespucci will be a jubilee site "for sacred pilgrimages and for pious visits among its missions at sea."

"The church that lives among the military also wants to establish signs during the jubilee year that express that hope that the church and the world await from God, and which God entrusts to the military world," Marcianò said on the designation. "These certainly include the sacred jubilee sites, through which our military can attain the spiritual benefits originating from the jubilee indulgence."

One way Catholics can obtain a plenary indulgence during the jubilee year is by making a pilgrimage to their cathedral or to another church or shrine selected by the local bishop. Other ways include making a pilgrimage to Rome, praying in certain churches in Rome, performing works of mercy, fasting from social media, and volunteering.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jan 13, 2025 / 15:20 pm (CNA).

Devout Catholic and pro-life advocate Congressman Chris Smith will be honored at this year's National Catholic Prayer Breakfast held in Washington, D.C.

The New Jersey representative will receive the organization's annual Christifideles Laici Award at the 20th National Catholic Prayer Breakfast on Feb. 28. Previous recipients of the award include religious freedom advocate Jimmy Lai; legal scholar Helen M. Alvaré; attorney and policy expert Mary Rice Hasson; and former U.S. Attorney General William Barr.

The Christifideles Laici Award was founded in 2019 by the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast to highlight the "good works" of those in service of the Church, according to the organization's website. The award itself is an original work commissioned by the organization from the classical artist Isaac Dell and is inscribed with the words "In Honor and Gratitude for Fidelity to the Church, Exemplary Selfless and Steadfast Service in the Lord's Vinyard."

Smith is currently in his 22nd term in the U.S. House of Representatives for New Jersey's 4th Congressional District, serves on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and has been a tireless defender of those suffering from religious persecution and human trafficking.

A staunch advocate of the pro-life cause, Smith is among the confirmed speakers at the March for Life this year along with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Live Action Founder Lila Rose.

Late last year, Smith told CNA in an interview following a Mass celebrated in the U.S. Capitol that he and his wife, Marie, share a particular devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe and that his office "places all of our pro-life and human rights work under her mantle." 

"I do a lot on the human rights issue," he said at the time, "and every bit of it, we turn to her and pray, you know, and ask her for guidance." 

Smith told CNA he has a life-sized replica of the tilma of Our Lady of Guadalupe hanging in his office. "I'm amazed at how many people I meet — because I meet with diplomats all the time because of my human rights work and my committee assignments — they always take note of [the tilma]."

"I find there's such devotion, particularly with the Latin Americans who come in — they look at [the tilma] and it's instant," he said. "And so this is, of course, a celebration of her, [and] the whole story of Juan Diego, and the whole story of, you know, 8 to 9 million people converting from human sacrifice and worshipping gods is such an amazing story of conversion and repair of souls."

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ACI MENA, Jan 13, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

More than a month after Syria's political shift, Christians there are vocalizing a sense of relief as initial assurances for their safety and security by the de facto government have reportedly been provided. Christians continue to seek more concrete guarantees, although opinions differ on what form these guarantees should take.

For some Christians, the Church remains their primary safeguard, as it has been since Ottoman rule. In this view, clergy are in charge of representing their communities in political and legal arenas.

The Greek Orthodox Patriarch, John X (Yazigi), is the most visible Christian leader in Syria, alongside the Latin apostolic vicar, Bishop Hanna Jallouf. The latter enjoys a longstanding and strong relationship with the new authorities. He recently visited his hometown and parish (Al-Qaniya, Idlib countryside) for the first time since his episcopal appointment, where he was warmly received.

Despite an important meeting between church leaders and representatives with Ahmed Al-Sharaa, the head of Syria's new administration, three patriarchs based in Damascus were notably absent. The absence was reportedly due to the customary visit of Patriarch Yazigi to congratulate the new leader — a visit that traditionally precedes any other meetings with clergy.

Laity and the Syrian brothership

Another group of Christians believes that clergy should not be the sole guarantors of their rights, but laity also plays a crucial role. 

This stance has been echoed by prominent figures such as the apostolic nuncio to Syria, Cardinal Mario Zenari, and the Syriac Catholic archbishop of Damascus, John Jihad Battah.

Aligning with this vision, many Christians expressed reservations regarding a recent statement by French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, who expressed France's support for "civil society and Christian representatives in Syria." Jesuit Father Murad Abu Seif addressed Barrot directly, stating: "We don't want to be mere coexisting groups; we aspire to be brothers living with and for one another. Today, Christians seek to defend all Syrians so we can all live in freedom and dignity."

Al-Sharaa's remarks on Pope Francis

Father Ibrahim Faltas, vice custodian of the Holy Land, who visited Damascus near the end of the year, highlighted in an article for the Vatican's L'Osservatore Romano that Al-Sharaa expressed admiration for Pope Francis, calling him a man of peace and commending his advocacy and actions for the people.

Meanwhile, the Christian community recently witnessed sharp criticism of the patriarch for the absence of Syria's new flag in the patriarchal salon. The backlash, driven by a group calling themselves the "Antiochian Movement for Change," escalated to accusations that he was a remnant of the previous regime, with demands for his resignation. This attack was widely condemned by both the Church and the public, who viewed it as politically motivated.

Daily life for Christians

Over the past month, Christians have largely been spared from targeted incidents, with a few isolated exceptions. For example, in Aleppo's predominantly Christian Sulaymaniyah neighborhood, a man used loudspeakers to urge women to wear hijabs and avoid mingling with men. Authorities have generally handled these incidents with wisdom.

All Syrians, including Christians, are experiencing some relief, particularly with the Syrian pound stabilizing against the U.S. dollar and prices dropping by up to 40%. Bread, gas, and diesel — scarce for years — have become more accessible. Additionally, the director general of Electricity Transmission and Distribution announced that two ships arrived from Turkey and Qatar to aid in power generation.

This story was first published by ACI MENA, CNA's Arabic-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

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