Rayhan Demytrie BBC South Caucasus correspondent Getty Images Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan faces pivotal elections next year A bitter standoff between Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and the Armenian Apostolic Church has seen mass arrests, allegations of a coup plot, and an extraordinary offer by Armenia’s leader to reveal his private parts to prove he...
At least 20 people have been killed and 52 others wounded in a suicide bombing at a church on the outskirts of Damascus, Syria’s interior ministry has said. The attacker entered Mar Elias Church in Dweila during a service and opened fire with a weapon before detonating an explosive vest, the ministry said in a...
Armenia’s liberal government has never been an ally of the deeply conservative Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC), but when Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan made extraordinary allegations against an unnamed senior clergyman, it blew open a deep divide. “Your Grace, go fool around with your uncle’s wife. What do you want from me?” said Pashinyan. He also...
Martin Lindsay BBC Investigations, North East & Cumbria Supplied The Read sisters Jenny, Wendy and Christina were abused as children The Church of England has apologised to three sisters who say they were “fobbed off” after reporting historical child sex abuse claims. Jenny, Wendy and Christina Read said they were “frequently” abused as young children...
Cameras have captured the moment an 5.6 magnitude earthquake shook Lima, Peru on Sunday morning, causing panic among worshipers at the city’s cathedral. The epicentre was recorded 23km off the coast of Callao, according to the The United States Geological Survey. It was felt in the capital and surrounding regions, killing at least one and...
A collection box has been forcibly removed from a stone wall outside a historic church in Devon. The incident occurred at St Werburgh Church, a Grade I listed building about 600 years old perched above Wembury Beach in Devon. According to church officials, the collection box, used to receive donations for parking, was ripped out...
Elliot Ball BBC News, South West David White BBC Radio Devon Handout Rev Thomas has urged people to call the police if they see anything relating to the stolen lecture topper A hand-carved wooden eagle has been stolen from a church in Devon. Rev Andrew Thomas, of St Paul’s in Yelverton, said the sculpture was...
HEADLINES Dartmoor National Park warns of continued high fire risk after wildfire destroys 1,230 acres of moorland Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service took nearly 24 hours to extinguish bank holiday weekend blaze that followed warning of uncontrolled moorland fire risk. Read more. 24 hour year-round Sidwell Street “adult gaming centre” allowed at appeal...
Laura Gozzi BBC News Reporting fromVatican City Getty Images Excited crowds gather in St Peter’s Square to see the new Pope After the sorrow of death, the joy of a new beginning. The warm May sun was still high in the sky when a roar echoed out in the streets surrounding St Peter’s Square. One...
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Khanyisile Ngcobo BBC News, Zuurbekom Nhlanhla Phillips The bride, Evelyn Sekgalakane, sparkled in white as she walked down the aisle hand-in-hand with Shirley Molala, who was about to become her “sister wife” at a mass wedding celebration at a South African church that encourages polygamy. Behind them came the groom Lesiba Molala, who was marrying...
Catherine Heathwood BBC World Service Getty Images Pope Victor I (L), Pope Gelasius I and Pope Militades (R) are all believed to be of North African descent Now predominantly Muslim, North Africa was once a Christian heartland, producing Catholic popes who left their mark on the Church to this day. Their papacies were in the...
Reuters The late pope was laid to rest at the Santa Maria Maggiore church in a private ceremony following his public funeral on Saturday Images of Pope Francis’ tomb at the Santa Maria Maggiore church in Rome have been released. A single, white rose was pictured lying on the stone tomb that bears the name...
Simon Furber BBC News, Albury Patrick Barlow BBC News, South East Simon Furber/BBC Albury’s Catholic Apostolic Church remains sealed for the Second Coming Much is shrouded in mystery about a Surrey church that is sealed for the Second Coming. For years, nobody has been allowed to peek behind the ornate stone walls and intricate rose...
Laura Gozzi BBC News, in Rome EPA Every time Pope Francis came back to Rome after a trip abroad, he made sure to pay a visit to the church of Santa Maria Maggiore. It was a fitting choice: Francis was particularly devoted to the Virgin Mary, and Santa Maria Maggiore was the first church to...