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Southern Europe
Burger King withdraws offensive Holy Week ads
Fast-food chain Burger King has withdrawn offensive advertisements in Spain that referred to the Last Supper. The campaign caused much consternation among Catholics during Holy Week. The fast-food chain apologised to anyone who felt offended by the advertisements, Catholic News Agency reports. “Our intention has never been to offend anyone,…
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Central Europe
Polish politicians propose toughening blasphemy law
The ruling conservative Solidarna Polska party in Poland demands a change in the wording of a law that aims to protect religious beliefs. Currently, the law forbids mocking and insulting someone else's belief, no matter what this belief is, Euractiv reports. The legislation states that anyone who “publicly insults an…
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Southern Europe
Italian governing party wants to abolish surrogacy
The governing Italian party Lega (League) wants to abolish surrogacy. According to party leader Matteo Salvini, the practice of wombs for rent is “barbaric” and must be stopped in any possible way. On April 12th, Salvini submitted a popular law proposal to the Supreme Court, which several Catholic organisations supported.…
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Central Europe
Should the German church support weapon deliveries to Ukraine?
To what extent should the church support weapon deliveries to Ukraine, knowing that these instruments are used to kill people? The German pacifist Margot Käßmann -former EKD chairwoman- and former military bishop Sigurd Rink talk about the ethics of self-defence. Images of killed civilians, destroyed buildings and destructing explosions spread…
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Eastern Europe
Missionary among the killed in Kramatorsk train station attack
A Ukrainian evangelical missionary was killed in the Kramatorsk train station attack on April 8th. Russian military shot several rockets towards the station filled with people waiting to be evacuated, killing at least 52 people. The 40-year-old Roman Sementsov was responsible for evacuating groups with children. He died as a…
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Eastern Europe
Russian church says no to Z on Easter cake
A supermarket in the Russian city of Shadrinsk sells Easter cakes with the letter Z on them. It does so to show support for Russia's military operation in Ukraine. But the church does not agree with mixing spiritual cakes with a political symbol. The letter Z has become the symbol…
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Central Europe
German alliance protests against new transgender law
The governing Traffic Light coalition inGermany wants to replace the current transgender legislation with a “self-determination law”. At the moment, it works on a draft version of the law. However, the organisation “Aktionsbündnis Ehe & Familie – DemoFürAlle” warns for negative consequences. The new self-determination law removes the current requirements…
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Central Europe
Online organ festival to promote popularity of instrument
Organ fans could join an organ festival online. It is the first time that the organ world has organised such an event in the virtual world. Organisers host the online festival from Munich. It started on April 18 and will last until May 1. The goal of the International Online…
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Northern Europe
Churchgoers in Norway thought terrorists came into the church at Easter
Seven environmental activists from the group Extinction Rebellion have interrupted an Easter service in Skien in the southeast of Norway. Many worshipers were scared, thinking that the activists were terrorists. The activists were wearing red suits and white-painted faces. The police were called to assist, reported Dagen. The seven entered…
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European Union
European church leaders: All refugees should be welcome
At the initiative of the European Commission on Migration of Churches (CCME), a statement has been made on receiving refugees. It has been signed by a large number of European church leaders. The church leaders state that they are delighted to see how Ukrainian refugees are warmly welcomed by “individuals,…
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