Turkey authorizes the construction of a church

Turkey has authorized the construction of an Assyrian church in Istanbul. This will be the first construction of a place for Christian worship since the fall of Ottoman Empire at the end of the First World War.

Turkish law prohibits the construction of churches even though the country provides shelter to several Christian patriarchs.

However, several years ago, a derogation was granted to re-establish liturgic celebration in an old Church.

Turkish law has also applied in the Northern part of Cyprus, since Turkish occupation in 1974. Deceitfully, official tourist leaflets present Christian places of worship, now derelict, as “castles”.

By way of comparison, since President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan came to power, more than 9 000 mosques have been built in Turkey.

The nuncio (Pope’s ambassador) appointed to Ankara by the Pope is not registered as Monseigneur Paul Russell, but as His Excellency, Ambassador Paul Russell.

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USA Local Terrorism -Gun Control Is Needed: 24 People Are Reportedly Dead in a Texas Church Shooting - by Emma Green

An estimated 24 people have died in a shooting attack on a rural church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, according to Albert Gamez Jr., a Wilson County commissioner. In an interview with MSNBC, he estimated that 20 to 24 others have been injured.

The attack comes in the wake of another church shooting outside of Nashville, Tennessee, in September, where a 25-year-old man allegedly opened fire on Burnette Chapel Church of Christ at the end of its Sunday service, killing one woman and injuring seven others. Taken together with the deadly attacks in Las Vegas and New York City, the shooting at First Baptist Church in Texas is part of a disorienting wave of mass violence this fall.

Details of the Texas shooting are still emerging, but initial reports suggest the attack resulted in a large number of deaths. Gamez told MSNBC that “there was one shooter who came in and started shooting inside that little church.” While the count of injuries and deaths has not been confirmed, he said, “there are a lot of fatalities.” KSAT 12, a local news station, reported that both the FBI and the Texas Rangers are on the scene, and that police have confirmed the shooter’s death.

Frank Pomeroy, the church’s pastor, told ABC News that his 14-year-old daughter is among the dead. 

A video of last week’s church service shows a small congregation gathered for song and prayer. “Keep your eyes up, keep your head up, and focus on Christ this week,” the pastor says.

Read more: 24 People Are Reportedly Dead in a Texas Church Shooting - The Atlantic