· April, 2010

Stories about Religion from April, 2010

Benin: Iyanda's diary in Benin

  30 April 2010

Funmi's diary about her visit and filming experience in Benin: “After all the mystery and hushed tones l had experienced during the research about the holy Aruosa church, l had expected a much more impressive building but the church was pretty nondescript.”

France: Reactions over Niqab and Polygamy Controversy

  28 April 2010

Lies Hebbadj is currently making  the headline news because his wife was fined for driving while wearing a niqab and because he said himself that he has three more households. His statement led him to be suspected of polygamy and therefore possiblyof French gaming welfare laws. Although  many bloggers, including Rokhaya...

Ecuador: Don Bosco in Manta

  26 April 2010

The relic of the Roman Catholic Saint “Don” Bosco has been making its way around Latin American, and Joselias Sánchez Ramos writes about the stop of the “guest of honor” in Manta, Ecuador [es], which attracted large crowd of the faithful.

Guyana: Calling for a Vote

  23 April 2010

Guyana's Imran Khan suggests that there “be a vote in the community” when it comes to the amplification of the Muslim call to prayer: “I am convinced that there will be a landslide victory to cease the amplified adhan…[and] have it continue by a natural human voice only.”

Uruguay: Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Verdún Shrine

  19 April 2010

Uruguayans participate annually in a pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady of Verdún in the town of Minas, and 2010 marks 109 years since the faithful have been making the journey [es]. Estela of the blog Abre Cabezas [es] also posts photos and videos [es] of a previous visit.

Lebanon: Marching for Secularism

Lebanese Laïque Pride will hold a rally for secularism on April 25. They are a group of citizens who are calling for the full implementation of article (c) of the Lebanese Constitution's preamble: “Respect for the freedom of opinion and belief,” “social justice,” and “equality of rights and duties between...

Bangladesh: Women Must Not Be Forced To Wear Veils

  9 April 2010

Shamim Ashraf at Straight from Bangladesh informs about a recent court ruling in Bangladesh which asserts that “none can force women, working at public and private educational institutions, to wear veils or cover their heads against their wills.”

France: Muslim woman on the burqa debate

  6 April 2010

In an interview with Bondy blog [Fr], Malika, 28, a veiled French Muslim woman of Algerian descent, expresses her detailed views about the burqa and niqab, amidst the debate, reheated by the French government, for or against a bill that would ban the burqa.

Lebanon: First Muslim-Christian Feast

“This year, Lebanon finally celebrated its first Muslim-Christian feast: the Annunciation (البشارة) on March 25th… At first, I was quite skeptical about this inter-religious feast…[later] I started to feel that there was something good about that celebration…” writes Worried Lebanese about the newly declared unified Muslim-Christian Holiday commemorating the Virgin...

Lebanon: Chant and Scent

While hundreds of well dressed Lebanese were flocking towards the churches of Beirut to the religious chants emanating from loud speakers, a strong scent of the shiploads of cows penetrated every street and house. This took place on the night of Good Friday as reported by Bech.

Morocco: Are Christians at Risk?

In early March, observers watched as around 20 long-time Christian orphanage workers were expelled from the country they called home. The incident, and others which followed it, have brought to light the debate surrounding Christianity in the Kingdom.

Guatemala: The Colorful Sights of Holy Week

  3 April 2010

Holy Week, which is celebrated the week before Easter, is an eagerly anticipated time in Guatemala. With colorful religious traditions and the abundance of typical foods, local bloggers have been experiencing the sights, sounds, and smells of Holy Week.

Philippines: Online Visita Iglesia

  2 April 2010

The faithful can now have the Visita Iglesia, or the traditional Filipino custom of visiting at least seven churches where they can commemorate the fourteen Stations of the Cross on Holy Thursday, online. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines recently launched the “online Visita Iglesia” for those “who cannot...