Archbishop Sarah Mullally preparing to visit the Pope in Rome this weekend
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dame Sarah Mullally, will travel to Rome on Saturday to meet the Pope, her first visit abroad as archbishop. She follows in the footsteps of several other archbishops of Canterbury over the past 60 years, as relations between the Church of England and the Roman Catholic church have warmed. This year is the 60th anniversary of the meeting between Archbishop Michael Ramsey and Pope Paul VI, which was the first official meeting since the CofE was created in the 16th century. Catherine Pepinster writes: “Given that the obstacles mentioned in previous post-visit documents included women’s ordination and female bishops, it will be an extraordinary sight to see the first female Archbishop of Canterbury welcomed to Rome. Other female bishops from the Anglican Communion have visited Rome, and both Rowan Williams and Justin Welby were accompanied by female chaplains — but this is in a different league.”. Read Catherine’s explainer of the visit and its significance here.
Soldiers jailed after smashing Jesus statue in Lebanon
Two Israeli soldiers who smashed a statue of Jesus with a sledgehammer in southern Lebanon, have been jailed for 30 days and removed from combat duty. The attack was pictured on social media and went viral provoking an outcry, with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemning the act “in the strongest terms”. The IDF issued a statement expressing deep regret over the incident. The IDF says it has replaced the statue.
Man admits raping Sikh woman in violent attack at her home in Walsall
A man has admitted he raped a Sikh woman in her home in Walsall, while subjecting her to a tirade of religiously aggravated abuse. Birmingham Crown Court heard that John Ashby, aged 32, followed her as she got off a bus, barged into her home and into the bathroom where she was hiding, tried to strangle her and then raped her in the dark. The court heard that during the attack, he delivered a tirade of anti-Muslim abuse, wrongly believing her to be of that faith. He fled after hearing a noise outside, and the police were called. He will be sentenced on Friday and the judge warned he was considering a life sentence. BBC report here
First conviction after spate of arson attacks on north London Jewish targets
A 17 year old boy has pleaded guilty to committing arson not endangering life at Kenton synagogue in Harrow last Saturday, when a bottle with accelerant was thrown through a window into an office. He was arrested within 24 hours and entered a guilty plea at Westminster Magistrates’ Court yesterday, and he has been bailed to appear again on 4 June. This was the first conviction after a spate of arson attacks on Jewish, Israeli or Iranian-linked venues in north London. Police say they have arrested a total of 23 people since the arson attack on Jewish charity ambulances in Golders Green on 23 March. Seven arrests were into alleged conspiracy to commit arson at an unknown address. In addition, a 39-year-old man has been arrested in Ealing under the terrorism act, following the discovery of jars with a non-hazardous substance in Kensington Gardens last week.
Appeal for sacred Muslim heritage sites to be protected from destruction
The Al Baqee Organisation, which seeks the restoration of Muslim heritage sites around the world, has held a meeting in parliament to raise awareness of its campaign. Knox Thames, director of a US religious freedom organisation, said sacred sites shape history, social cohesion and a sense of belonging and when they are destroyed, this undermines social fabric. Al Bagee is concerned about the destruction of sacred sites in Saudi Arabia and in war torn countries such as Syria. Aliya Azam, from the Al Khoei Foundation, appealed for the restoration of Jannat Al-Baqee cemetery in Medina, Saudi Arabia, the resting place for relatives of the Prophet Muhammad which was destroyed in 1926. And the Rev Andrew Thompson, who has worked in the Middle East, called on the government in Saudi Arabia to open the country’s Christian shrines to pilgrims. The event in parliament was hosted by Lord Rook, who said it was hugely important to protect and promote the history of holy sites – and to create new ones, holy spaces where heaven and earth are close.
Russian Orthodox ‘took over’ Greek Orthodox church in occupied Ukraine
Clergy of the Moscow Patriarchate Orthodox church are reported to have unlawfully seized the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Tokmak, Russian occupied Ukraine, on Easter Sunday, barring parishioners from praying there. His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, condemned the seizure of the church: “This is blasphemy against the Risen Lord—the Prince of Peace! And on the feast of Easter, no less.” The church has accused Russian occupiers of persecuting and imprisoning people who defend the right to freedom of religion. It says there is a systematic policy of displacing the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church from Russian-occupied territories. Pro-Russian groups say the church was taken over because it was abandoned.
Slave trade protesters and police at rector’s installation service
The Rev Dr Adam Dunning, the new rector of King Charles the Martyr church in Falmouth, arrived for his installation service last weekend, to find a demonstration greeting him about a slave trader memorial in the church. The local paper, the Falmouth Packet, filmed a protester shouting “ignorant, racist, bigots” outside the church, and local police were there to keep the peace. A row has been developing since 2020 over a memorial to 18th-century slave trader Thomas Corker and the failure to remove it or provide context. The Diocese of Truro says discussions are ongoing and funding is being sought to find a solution, acknowledging there needs to be “a different way to tell the truth about the past and pay attention to injustice in the present.” Meanwhile the service went ahead with a large congregation, and the local MP said it was a joyous occasion. Falmouth Packet report here.
