Skip to content
Advertisement

Religion_Belief

Latest Stories

ortho_968

ortho_968

A Greek Orthodox priest waves a censer during Orthodox Christmas services in a church in the West Bank city of Nablus on Friday, Jan. 7, 2011. Christmas falls on Jan. 7 for Orthodox Christians in Eastern Orthodox churches that use the Julian calendar instead of the 16th-century Gregorian calendar adopted by Catholics and Protestants and commonly used in secular life around the world. (AP Photo/Nasser Ishtayeh)

ortho_967

ortho_967

Christian Orthodox worshipers attend Orthodox Christmas services at the Church of Nativity, traditionally believed by many to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ, in the West Bank city of Bethlehem early Friday, Jan. 7, 2011. Christmas falls on Jan. 7 for Orthodox Christians in Eastern Orthodox churches that use the Julian calendar instead of the 16th-century Gregorian calendar adopted by Catholics and Protestants and commonly used in secular life around the world. (AP Photo/Nasser Shiyoukhi)

ortho_966

ortho_966

Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Theofilos III, center, walks surrounded by clergy during Orthodox Christmas services at the Church of Nativity, traditionally believed by many to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ, in the West Bank city of Bethlehem early Friday, Jan. 7, 2011. Christmas falls on Jan. 7 for Orthodox Christians in Eastern Orthodox churches that use the Julian calendar instead of the 16th-century Gregorian calendar adopted by Catholics and Protestants and commonly used in secular life around the world. (AP Photo/Nasser Shiyoukhi)

ortho_965

ortho_965

Christian Orthodox worshipers attend Orthodox Christmas services at the Church of Nativity, traditionally believed by many to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ, in the West Bank city of Bethlehem early Friday, Jan. 7, 2011. Christmas falls on Jan. 7 for Orthodox Christians in Eastern Orthodox churches that use the Julian calendar instead of the 16th-century Gregorian calendar adopted by Catholics and Protestants and commonly used in secular life around the world. (AP Photo/Nasser Shiyoukhi)

ortho_964

ortho_964

Palestinian Greek Orthodox worshipers attend Christmas services at a Greek Orthodox church in Gaza City, Friday, Jan. 7, 2011. Christmas falls on Jan. 7 for Orthodox Christians in Eastern Orthodox churches that use the Julian calendar instead of the 16th-century Gregorian calendar adopted by Catholics and Protestants and commonly used in secular life around the world. (AP Photo/Adel Hana)

ortho_963

ortho_963

Christian Serb Orthodox believers break traditional Christmas bread to mark the Orthodox Christmas Day festivities in Belgrade, Serbia, on Friday, Jan. 7, 2011. Children traditionally scramble for a piece of the bread, searching for a gold coin, hidden inside. Orthodox Christians in Serbia celebrate Christmas on Jan. 7, according to the Julian calendar. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

Vatican Pope Epiphany_Lea.jpg

Vatican Pope Epiphany_Lea.jpg

Pope Benedict XVI delivers his blessing during an Epiphany Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on Thursday, Jan. 6, 2011. (AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito)

Mideast Lebanon Egypt_Lea.jpg

Mideast Lebanon Egypt_Lea.jpg

Egyptian Coptic Christians pray during Christmas Mass at St. Marc and the Virgin Mary Coptic Church east of Beirut on Thursday, Jan. 6, 2011, in memory of the 21 Copts killed in a weekend massacre at a church in Alexandria, Egypt. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)

epiphany_2748

epiphany_2748

People dressed as one of the three kings (right) and Mary and Joseph (center) attend an Epiphany Mass at a Catholic church in La Paz, Bolivia, on Thursday Jan. 6, 2011. The feast day recalls the Gospel's account of the journey by the three kings, or wise men, guided by a star to pay homage to baby Jesus, and many faithful exchange gifts. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)

epiphany_2737

epiphany_2737

Villagers speed on horseback during Epiphany celebrations outside Harsova, Romania, on Thursday, Jan. 6, 2011. As part of the local Epiphany customs, villagers, following a religious service, have their horses blessed with holy water and then compete in a race. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

epiphany_2736

epiphany_2736

Men attend a religious service during Epiphany celebrations outside Harsova, Romania, on Thursday, Jan. 6, 2011. One of the local Epiphany customs is for villagers, following the service, to have their horses blessed with holy water and then compete in a race. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

epiphany_2733

epiphany_2733

Bartholomew I, the spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians, throws a wooden cross into the Golden Horn during an Epiphany ceremony to bless the water in Istanbul on Thursday, Jan. 6, 2011. Similar ceremonies to mark Epiphany were held across Greece on river banks, seafronts and lakes. Bartholomew threw the cross into the water, and swimmers raced to be the first to retrieve it. (AP/Ibrahim Usta)

epiphany_2732

epiphany_2732

Greek Orthodox faithful kiss a wooden cross after it was retrieved from the water during an Epiphany ceremony to bless the water in the Golden Horn in Istanbul on Thursday, Jan. 6, 2011. Similar ceremonies to mark Epiphany were held across Greece on riverbanks, seafronts and lakes. Bartholomew I, spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox, threw a cross into the water, and swimmers raced to be the first to retrieve it. (AP/Ibrahim Usta)

epiphany_2731

epiphany_2731

Pope Benedict XVI, framed by a Christmas tree, delivers his blessing from his studio window overlooking St. Peter's Square following an Epiphany Mass at the Vatican on Thursday, Jan. 6, 2011. Benedict XVI is stunned by the wave of violence and intolerance toward Christians around the world, Italy's top churchman said Thursday at Epiphany services. "Together with the Holy Father, Benedict XVI, we are stunned in the face of religious intolerance and so much violence, and we are asking ourselves, in sorrow: Why?'' said Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, president of Italy's bishops conference in an Epiphany homily in Genoa. Benedict told pilgrims and tourists he was offering heartfelt greeting and wishes to "the brothers and sisters of the Eastern churches who tomorrow will celebrate Holy Christmas.'' (AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito)

epiphany_2730

epiphany_2730

Pope Benedict XVI, left, celebrates an Epiphany Mass inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on Thursday, Jan. 6, 2011. Benedict is stunned by the wave of violence and intolerance toward Christians around the world, Italy's top churchman said Thursday at Epiphany services. "Together with the Holy Father, Benedict XVI, we are stunned in the face of religious intolerance and so much violence, and we are asking ourselves, in sorrow: Why?'' said Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, president of Italy's bishops conference in an Epiphany homily in Genoa. Benedict told pilgrims and tourists he was offering heartfelt greeting and wishes to "the brothers and sisters of the Eastern churches who tomorrow will celebrate Holy Christmas.'' The feast day recalls the Gospel's account of the journey by the three kings, or "wise men,'' guided by a star, to pay homage to the baby Jesus, and many faithful exchange gifts. (AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito)

Vietnam US Diplomat A_Thir.jpg

Vietnam US Diplomat A_Thir.jpg

Catholic priest Nguyen Van Ly, lower center, in a courtroom in Vietnam's central province of Thua Thien Hue on March 30, 2007. The U.S. government strongly protested to Vietnam after reports said a U.S. diplomat was roughed up while trying to meet with Mr. Ly on Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011. (AP Photo/ Tran Van Minh, File)

Pakistan_Live.jpg

Pakistan_Live.jpg

Pakistanis bury Punjab Gov. Salman Taseer, who enraged Muslims by opposing laws that decreed death for insulting Islam and was slain by a bodyguard. (Associated Press)

20110105-174034-pic-901643027.jpg

20110105-174034-pic-901643027.jpg

Micheal Mpubane leads a Bible study at the Progressive Primary in Johannesburg. Poor South Africans are underserved by a government that has struggled to close the gap apartheid created between white and black public schools. (Associated Press)

pakistan_2613

pakistan_2613

Mumtaz Qadri, center, the accused killer of Punjab Gov. Salman Taseer, arrives at court in Islamabad, Pakistan, on Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011. More than 500 Muslim scholars praised the man suspected of killing the Pakistani governor because the politician opposed blasphemy laws that mandate death for those convicted of insulting Islam. The group of scholars and clerics known as Jamat Ahle Sunnat is affiliated with a moderate school of Islam and represents the mainstream Barelvi sect. The group said in a statement Wednesday that no one should pray for Mr. Taseer or express regret for his murder. (AP Photo/B.K.Bangash)

pakistan_2612

pakistan_2612

Pakistani women light candles and pray at the site of a shooting that killed Salman Taseer, governor of Pakistan's Punjab province, in Islamabad, Pakistan, on Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011. Mr. Taseer was killed on Tuesday by his bodyguard commando, who reportedly was enraged by Mr. Taseer's opposition to laws decreeing death for insulting Islam. (AP Photo/B.K. Bangash)