Churches
Christmas celebrated under pandemic’s shadow
Hundreds of millions across the world celebrated pared-down Christmas festivities on Friday due to coronavirus restrictions, as Pope Francis called for vaccines for everyone, describing them as “glimmers of hope in this period of darkness and uncertainty”. The pandemic has claimed more than 1.7 million lives and is still running rampant in much of the world, but the recent launching of mass vaccine campaigns has boosted hopes that 2021 could bring a respite. Like so many across the globe, the pope was forced to break with normal Christmas tradition, holding his annual “Urbi et Orbi” speech by video from the apostolic palace, to prevent a crowd from gathering in St Peter’s Square. “I call on everyone, on leaders of states, on businesses, on international organisations, to promote cooperatio...
CAN urges churches to be security conscious
File Photo The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has asked churches to be security conscious as they celebrate Christmas. CAN President, Dr. Samson Ayokunle, gave the advice in a press statement yesterday titled, ‘The Power of His Presence, Our Hope of Tomorrow’. He encouraged Christians not to be weighed down by the adversities experienced in the year 2020. Ayokunle said, “Christmas is not a myth, not a tradition, not a dream. It is a glorious reality. It is a time of joy. The fact of the cross illuminates Christmas day and hallows it. “Christmas is also a season to advocate peace in the world that is full of wars, strives, terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery and other criminalities. “It is painful that many people are mourning due to the demise of their loved ones as a re...
Rare Christmas sales in Saudi Arabia
Christmas trees and glittery ornaments are for sale at a Saudi gift shop, a once unthinkable sight in the cradle of Islam where all public non-Muslim worship is banned. In recent years, festive sales have gradually crept into the capital Riyadh, a sign of loosening social restrictions after Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman pledged to steer the conservative Gulf kingdom towards an “open, moderate Islam”. “I didn’t ever imagine I’d see this” in Saudi Arabia, a Riyadh resident told AFP at the shop selling trees, Santa Claus outfits as well as tinsel, baubles and other ornaments. “I am surprised,” said the resident, declining to be identified. Until barely three years ago, it was almost impossible to sell such items openly in Saudi Arabia, but authorities have been clipping the powers of the c...
Akwa Ibom cancels state events, caution residents
The Akwa Ibom State Government has cancelled all state events requiring large gatherings as it confirmed 48 new cases of COVID-19 in the state. A statement by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and Chairman of the COVID-19 Management Committee, Dr Emmanuel Ekuwem, cautioned residents against acts that might lead to another lockdown with its attendant consequences. He said; “large political meetings are discouraged until the current spike of COVID-19 infections is reduced. “Religious leaders must adhere strictly to the guidelines and protocols for programmes as developed by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and submitted to the government. “School administrators must ensure compulsory and proper use of face mask by students, teachers and everyone in the school premises.” T...
Jerusalem church suffers damage in arson near Garden of Gethsemane
Israeli police on Friday arrested a man for trying to set fire to an east Jerusalem church by the Garden of Gethsemane, the site revered by Christians as the place where Jesus prayed before he was crucified. The 49-year-old Israeli suspect poured flammable liquid inside the Church of All Nations, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said. The man then set it alight, a separate police statement said, before the church guard detained him. “Preliminary investigation and the suspect’s details strengthen the assessment that the background to the incident was criminal,” police said, suggesting investigators believed it was not a hate crime. Reuters pictures showed a charred bench and a small blackened portion of the mosaic floor of the Catholic church, which overlooks Jerusalem’s walled Old City. “T...
Nigeria will witness massive progress if it learns from past mistakes – cleric
Rev Christopher Edeh, the Archbishop of Enugu Diocese, Methodist Church, Nigeria, says Nigeria will witness better progress, growth and patriotism by learning from past mistakes. Edeh said this in a Sunday sermon during the 20th Anniversary of the Central Methodist Church, Enugu. The clergy said that the major problem of present-day Nigeria was lack of basic knowledge of the evolution of the country as well as its various stages of nationhood by young Nigerians. He said it was sad that most secondary schools in the country do not teach history as a subject and called for the reinstatement of history in all secondary schools. Edeh said that there would be less mistakes in the country when Nigerians remember their past. “If we remember our mistakes and the pains of the past, we can then say ...
VP Osinbajo: CAMA issues can be addressed through amendment by National Assembly
In an effort to allay fears expressed by the leadership of the Church about the recently enacted Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN has said concerns can be processed through possible amendment of the contentious section of the law through a proposal to the National Assembly. The Vice President stated this on Thursday during a special conversation at the ongoing Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Annual General Conference. Responding to a question about reactions to CAMA, the Vice President said: “what can be done is that, whatever the proposal for amendment may be, whatever the views of the leadership of the church may be, regarding the question of how the trustees, whether they are interim trustees or not, can be put in the form of a proposal that...
Herders in Ebonyi now to carry identity cards – deputy governor
The Ebonyi Government on Tuesday directed that all the herders in the state should henceforth carry identity cards to help in identifying them in the event of any crime. The Deputy Governor, Dr Kelechi Igwe, announced the new directive while briefing newsmen on the outcome of a special security meeting convened by Gov. David Umahi at the Government House, Abakiliki. The meeting had the leadership and members of the state chapter of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN) in attendance. Igwe said that the state government was worried over reported cases of killing of MACBAN members, attack on communities by persons suspected to be MACBAN members, destruction of farm crops and other valuables and incessant cases of rape in the state. “The leadership of the various Local Government...
US coronavirus death toll hits 100,000, cases now 1.7million
The coronavirus death toll in the United States hit 100,000 on Tuesday. According to renowned data website Worldmeters, the toll hit the mark around 6:00pm Nigerian time. On May 17, the figure reached 90,000; half of the number died in just one month. As at April 19, John Hopkins University and Worldometers, put their individual tallies at 40,000. America is currently the worst-hit country in the world. The U.S. has recorded 1,710,000 cases of coronavirus since the outbreak. Globally, over 5,630,000 cases have been recorded with nearly 350,000 deaths. 2,400,000 patients have recovered. President Donald Trump and his administration’s officials insist that China knows more than it is telling about the virus. The American leader recently suggested that Beijing wanted him lose the presidential...
Enugu lifts ban on religious gatherings
The Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN), Enugu State chapter, has said that normal services will resume in churches in the state on May 10. The council said that this was part of the agreements reached with the state government on Thursday. A statement issued in Enugu by Most. Rev. Christopher Ede, the state Chairman of CCN, said that church worship services would resume in all churches across the state on that day. Ede, who is the Archbishop of Enugu Methodist Church Nigeria, said that each denomination must observe all the safety protocols on public gatherings, as recommended by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and other government guidelines. Newsmen report that the state government had, on March 31, suspended all religious and social gatherings, after announcing a partial l...
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