Syria

By Martin Roth, BosNewsLife Senior Columnist TOKYO, JAPAN (BosNewsLife Columns)-- A forthcoming film from famed director Martin Scorsese is set  to confront the movie-going public with the persecution of Christians. It's “Silence,” based on the celebrated 1966 historical novel by Japanese Christian writer Shusaku Endo, who was nominated for the Nobel Prize.

By BosNewsLife Americas Service WASHINGTON, USA (BosNewsLife)-- Most Americans agree with the presidential candidates of both parties in calling Islamic State group atrocities against Christians in the Middle East "genocide," according to a poll by the Catholic Knights of Columbus (KofC) order and the Marist Institute for Public Opinion. Hillary Clinton, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush, Mike Huckabee and Martin O'Malley have all called the situation genocide.

By BosNewsLife Middle East Service BAGHDAD, IRAQ (BosNewsLife)-- An influential Anglican leader in Iraq said Saturday, August 24, he was thinking of the Bible's warning not to be alarmed amid warfare as dozens of people were killed nearby in the capital Baghdad, while neighboring Syria was rocked by apparently new chemical weapons attack revelations.

By BosNewsLife Middle East Service with reporting by BosNewsLife's Stefan J. Bos DAMASCUS, SYRIA (BosNewsLife)-- Christian aid workers and local believers in Syria have urged prayers and assistance after President Bashar Assad's forces were accused of launching a chemical weapons attack killing at least 70 people and injuring many more.

By BosNewsLife Middle East Service DAMASCUS, SYRIA (BosNewsLife)-- Syria's minority Christians faced another day of anxiety Thursday, December 5, amid mounting concern about the fate of a group of nuns who were abducted by suspected Islamic fighters.

Listen to this report via Vatican Radio:  By BosNewsLife Middle East Service with additional reporting by Vatican Radio's Lydia O'Kane DAMASCUS, SYRIA (BosNewsLife)-- Syrian Christians were rejoicing Monday, March 10, after rebels freed more than a dozen Greek Orthodox nuns ending their near four-month captivity in exchange for Syrian authorities releasing dozens of female prisoners.

By BosNewsLife Middle East Service DAMASCUS, SYRIA (BosNewsLife)-- Minority Christians in Syria's embattled city of Homs and surrounding areas were among those facing a major humanitarian crisis Saturday, March 3, but Christian aid activists told BosNewsLife they were trying to reach them.  

By Martin Roth, BosNewsLife Senior Columnist MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA (BosNewsLife Columns)-- I found myself in a mild Twitterstorm the other day, if Christians politely disagreeing with one another can be called a Twitterstorm on social networking service Twitter...

By BosNewsLife Middle East Service DAMASCUS, SYRIA (BosNewsLife)-- Rebels linked to terror group al-Qaida captured the Christian town of Maaloula on Sunday, September 8, as part of a campaign to take control of strategic mountains near the capital Damascus, opposition representatives said.

By BosNewsLife Middle East Service with additional reporting by Philippa Hitchen in Vatican City and Stefan J. Bos DAMASCUS/VATICAN CITY (BosNewsLife)-- The Vatican and aid workers have urged the world to help end an "apocalyptic" bombing campaign in Syria where "thousands of families" live in underground shelters and "millions of children" are malnourished.