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Southern Europe
Independent audit on sexual abuse in Spanish Roman Catholic Church
The Spanish Catholic Church has commissioned an independent investigation on sexual abuse by clergy in the past. This is remarkable because the Church earlier said that it would not establish a national commission. Cardinal Juan José Omella, president of the Spanish Episcopal Conference, announced recently during one of the meetings…
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Western Europe
Belgium to decriminalise sex work
The Belgium Chamber of Representatives will soon vote about sexual criminal law reforms. If approved, the bill will make work for sex workers easier. “This is a crucial leap forward. We are finally giving sex workers what they are entitled to: recognition and protection. Something they have been asking for…
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Eastern Europe
Evangelical seminaries in Eastern Europe condemn war against Ukraine
Eleven Evangelical seminaries in Eastern Europe (including Russia) have condemned the violence against Ukraine. In a joint statement, they speak about “Putin’s cynical lies” about genocide in the country’s east. The eleven Protestant colleges have been working on a common declaration for a few days. On Saturday morning, the name…
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European Union
European churches lift Covid restrictions
As the Covid pandemic seems to dissolve, several churches can organise physical services again; with all members, without a vaccination passport. However, not all European churches are ready for complete opening. In the Netherlands, Covid restrictions have ended since February 25th. Recently, the Dutch Minister of Health said during a…
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Central Europe
European Court: Polish birth certificate not discriminatory against transgender
The European Court of Human Rights ruled that the Polish government has the right to refuse to issue a long-form birth certificate to a transgender male. The transgender man (52), born a woman, had asked the Polish government for an updated long-form birth certificate to reflect his gender identity in…
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Eastern Europe
Russian patriarch Kirill urges military to avoid civilian casualties
Kirill, the Russian patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, urges all parties to avoid civilian casualties in the Russian conflict with Ukraine. In a statement, he addresses Hierarchs, clergy, and believers. The patriarch says that he “as the Patriarch of All Russia and the Primate of the Church, whose flock…
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Eastern Europe
Ukrainian police arrests priest, mistaking him as Russian saboteur
The Ukrainian police detained Mikhail Pavlushenko, a priest of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. They mistakenly suspected that he was a Russian saboteur. Spzh.news reports that a helicopter crashed on a field close to the house of Pavlushenko. Thus, noticing the incident from his window, the priest was the first to…
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Western Europe
Gynaecologists protest against extension French abortion law
France extends its abortion law. Ending a pregnancy is now legal up to 14 weeks instead of 12 weeks. However, the amendment is not undisputed. Several gynaecologists disagree. On February 23, the National Assembly definitively expanded the national abortion law, Evangeliques Info reports. According to the parliamentarians, too many women…
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Eastern Europe
European Christians shocked; fear about religious freedom in occupied Ukraine
The European Evangelical Alliance sees no justification for the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Other Christian organisations in the region respond concerned as well. Meanwhile, local Christians are worried about their freedoms. The EEA, representing over 23 million European Protestants, came with a statement on Thursday, saying that the invasion of…
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Central Europe
Two mosques apply for call to prayer permit in Cologne
Two mosques in Cologne formally requested permission to sound a muezzin call over the speakers. One of them is a central mosque of the Turkish Islamic Union of the Institute for Religion in the Ehrenfeld District (DITIB), a spokesman of Cologne says to Idea. The other application came from a…
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