News from the Eastern Church this week: Churches begin the season of Advent according to the Julian calendar, commemorating the 1,000th day of the Ukrainian war and examining the assets of churches in India.
The season of Advent begins in the Eastern Church
On Sunday, November 17, Christians of the Eastern Church – especially Copts, Ethiopians and Armenians – began the season of Advent according to the Julian calendar. In Ethiopia, the season of Advent is celebrated as the “Fast of the Prophets.” During this period, devotees abstain from eating meat and eat one meal a day, which is usually eaten after 3 pm.
1000 days of war in Ukraine
Tuesday, November 19, marked 1,000 days since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The losses were enormous: according to some sources, 300,000 soldiers on both sides were killed and around a million wounded. Of Ukrainian civilians, more than 15,000 were killed and about 26,000 wounded. Additionally, 15,000 people were deported or imprisoned by Russian forces and 6.7 million people were displaced. The country’s Greek Catholic Church, which represents around 10% of the population, has been on the front line since the start of the war, supporting civilians and soldiers.
Church assets in India under scrutiny
In the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, a court ruling has raised questions about the church’s management of property. The court says the buildings should be managed by the state. This is a cause for concern among Christians, who make up 2.4% of India’s 1.4 billion people, given anti-conversion laws targeting religious minorities. For their part, officials justify the decision by claiming that it will level the playing field between different religions, since a similar body already exists in the country for Hindus and Muslims.
