Most celebrate Christmas, few know what they celebrate: surprising revelations from a study

While the majority of Americans celebrate Christmas, understanding of its biblical roots is lacking. According to a 2018 Lifeway study, only 22% of U.S. adults believe they could accurately and entirely retell the Nativity story from memory. Another 31% say they could recount it but might miss some details or get others wrong. About 25% could only provide a general summary, while 17% admit they couldn’t recount the story at all.

Aleppo parish priest calls for Constitution ‘for all Syrians exhausted’ by the regime

Leader al-Jawlani spoke from the historic Umayyad mosque. UN Security Council meeting today. The apostolic nuncio calls for the lifting of sanctions, a ‘burden’ that ‘weighs on the poor people’. Fr Karakach’s testimony to AsiaNews: ‘We hope that what happened will unblock the political situation’. Christians ‘citizens who have rights and duties equal to all’.

Surge in Bible Sales Marks a Cultural Shift in 2024

The cultural relevance of Christianity is further bolstered by influencers on platforms like TikTok and YouTube, who increasingly share their faith with authenticity. Additionally, high-profile celebrities have begun openly discussing their beliefs, making faith-based conversations more mainstream.

The challenges of the Russian world according to Kirill

The patriarch has tried to distance himself recently from the country’s political leaders, stressing his superiority in the relationship between Russia’s political and clerical power. At least two issues underscore a gap between Church and State, namely the response to the demographic crisis with monks criticised for being celibate, and the ban on organised prayers in private homes.