Holy Land Church Leaders Announce Renovations to Grotto of the Nativity

ACI MENA, 30 January, 2026 / 10:41 PM

Here is this week’s curation of international news from around the world that you might have missed:

Holy Land Church leaders announce renovations to Grotto of the Nativity

The Custody of the Holy Land and the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem have announced the Grotto of the Nativity will soon undergo renovations.

The restoration work for the “hallowed site” follows a decree from the Presidency of the State of Palestine and will be undertaken by an Italian firm that was also entrusted with the recent rehabilitation of the Basilica of the Nativity , according to a joint statement by the leaders.

“Through this collective effort, the Churches of Jerusalem protect the Gospel heritage entrusted to them and ensure that the faithful of all traditions may continue to venerate the birthplace of Christ with reverence,” the statement said.

Scottish bishops call on government to pass anti-prostitution bill

The Bishops’ Conference of Scotland is urging the government there to pass a bill currently before Parliament that would reduce prostitution and shift penalties from women and girls exploited by the commercial sex market onto buyers and sellers instead.

In a letter to First Minister of Scotland Hon. John Swinney, a member of Parliament, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Scotland President Bishop John Keenan described the Prostitution (Offenses and Support) (Scotland) Bill as “a vital step toward protecting some of the most vulnerable individuals in our society and addressing the systemic harms associated with prostitution in Scotland.”

Keenan said that while he supported thorough scrutiny of the bill, he believes Scotland “has an important opportunity to demonstrate leadership in the protection of vulnerable women and girls, the prevention of trafficking, and the promotion of equality.”

Attacker of Akitu Parade in Northern Iraq receives life sentence

An Iraqi court in Erbil has sentenced the attacker who targeted the Akitu New Year parade in Duhok last year to life imprisonment, marking a decisive moment for justice and public reassurance, reported ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News.

The ruling concerns the armed assault carried out during celebrations of Akitu, the ancient Assyrian-Chaldean-Babylonian New Year, one of the world’s oldest continuously observed festivals.

The head of the Kurdistan Region’s Independent Human Rights Commission described the verdict as fair and in line with anti-terrorism laws, stressing that it restores confidence among local communities and members of the Assyrian diaspora who had expressed fears about attending future celebrations.

Despite last year’s incident, Akitu celebrations continue to symbolize resilience, cultural identity, and continuity for Assyrian, Chaldean, and Syriac Christians in Iraq and abroad.

Nigerian diocese orders week of reparation after ‘grievous sacrilege’

The Diocese of Kafanchan in Nigeria has condemned the desecration of the tabernacle at St. Luke Safio Parish, where consecrated hosts were reportedly scattered and some were stolen on Jan. 25.

In a statement obtained on Jan. 28 by ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, the chancellor of the Diocese of Kafanchan, Father Jacob Shanet, described the desecration act as “a grievous sacrilege” and directed a week of reparation and prayer across the diocese.

Shanet said the incident was discovered in the early hours of Jan. 25 when a parishioner arrived at the church for Sunday Mass “and found that the tabernacle had been forcibly opened and the Sacred Species within had been scattered and stolen.”

International Day of Peaceful Coexistence highlights Christian values

As the world marked the International Day of Peaceful Coexistence on Jan. 28, voices from faith and civil society in Lebanon emphasized that peace begins with everyday behavior, not slogans.

Speaking to ACI MENA, Lebanese lawyer Tony Bou Abboud reflected on how Christian spiritual values can nurture dialogue, mutual respect, and social harmony. He noted that peaceful coexistence starts within families and extends to schools, media, and public discourse, warning against hate speech and exclusionary narratives.

He also pointed to forgiveness as a defining Christian witness, recalling historical examples where mercy triumphed over revenge. In a fractured world, he argued, peaceful coexistence must be lived as a way of life rooted in human dignity.

Police in Indonesia assault group of young Catholics

Indonesian police assaulted and detained 11 Catholic youths who were protesting a government-sponsored food estate project that would take over land used by Indigenous groups for farming.

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The protestors were criticizing Archbishop Petrus Canisius Mandagi of Merauke, the South Papua province, for supporting the move, according to a report from UCA News.

Protesters were physically assaulted and dragged away from the demonstration, which took place in front of St. Francis Xavier Cathedral Church in Merauke, according to Tony Makin, head of the Merauke Legal Aid Institute.

“After being questioned for hours, the police asked them to sign a letter pledging not to carry out similar protests in the future, but they refused. They were finally released after negotiations,” Makin said.

Armed bandits attack Catholic priest in DR Congo

Armed bandits in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) attacked a parish priest in the Diocese of Mbujimayi, leaving him in critical condition, ACI Africa reported on Monday.

The Jan. 24 attack occurred along the Bena Mbuyi-Kalambayi highway when Father Jean-Richard Ilunga had gone to collect a donation of $2,000 intended for the construction of his church, the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish. The assailants allegedly robbed the priest of his motorcycle and personal belongings, along with the money for the parish, before tying him up and abandoning him.

Ilunga is currently stable and under close medical supervision.

Catholic compound in Ethiopia ‘trashed and looted’ by warring ethnic tribes

Clashes between the Anyuak and Nuer, warring ethnic tribes in Ethiopia, resulted in the looting and destruction of a Catholic compound in Ethiopia, according to  Aid to the Church in Need.

Father David Kulandai Samy of the Itang Catholic Mission described the situation as “painful,” recounting how attackers targeted his parish with pickaxes, heavy metal bars, and gunfire before fleeing with valuables.

“The clash erupted at dawn from 5:30 a.m. The Nuer tribe occupied the presbytery and the church surroundings as their base and attacked the Anyuak on the other side near Baro River,” the priest said, alleging that “some of them who came to loot were our own Catholic faithful, catechists, youth leaders,and choir members belonging to that particular ethnic group.”

Mass kits and other home and electrical goods were among the many items looted from the compound.