WORLD NEWS

Prelate priest Georg Ratzinger

The pope’s brother said in one of radio interviews that despite his age of 85, Benedict XVI feels relatively young. Georg Ratzinger reaches the age of 89 on 15 January. He spent Christmas in Ratyzbona. On 28 December 2012 he made a journey to Rome. He gifted among the others the recording of ‘Mass h-moll’ by Jan Sebastian Bach to the famous brother, for which the Pope had asked. However, the elderly priest reserved that during the celebration of Christmas presents are not the most important. – I have everything what I need and at my age I do not have to care about wealth – said Fr. Ratzinger.

RUSSIA
The bishops criticizes

The prohibition of adopting Russian children by the citizens of the USA was criticised by the Orthodox bishop of Smoleńsk and wiaziemski Pateleimon. The decision of State Duma was to be an answer to the so-called list of Maginicki passed by the American Senate. On this basis the Americans prohibited allowing for visas to people breaching human rights in Russia.

The member of the Ecclesiastical Supreme Council of the Russian Orthodox Church and also the chairman of the Department for Charity and Social Care of the Moscow Patriarchate emphasized that one cannot decide about the fate of children regarding the political prosperity, applying the principles of symmetry or diplomatic dissymmetry. The state are people and not only the representatives of legislative and executive authority with their political ambitions. The Russian orthodox patriarch warned against repeating the mistake of Ludwig XIV who stated that ‘state is me’. The state are people and children needing help from adults.

NIGERIA
The fire of violence does not stop

Probably 12 people were killed in North Nigeria at Christmas night. Two protestant churches were attacked where traditional divine services were taking place. The first massacre took place in a village Peri near Potiskum, the industrial centre in the state of Yobe. The area is mainly inhabited by Muslims, the Christians are a minority there. According to the report of one of inhabitants, Usmana Mansira, a group of armed men invaded the village at midnight and immediately went to the church. There, they attacked praying believers, killing six people, including a pastor. Next they set fire to the building of the church and also a few people standing near their houses. This version of events was confirmed by the local police.

CNN informed also about the second bloody event at Christmas night in Maiduguria in the state of Borno. Five participants of the divine service and a deacon were to be killed there. The attacks in the place of cult took place despite strengthening police forces, in regard to bloody experiences in the analogical time of 2011.

(AA)

"Niedziela" 1/2013

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