RELIGION HEADLINES FRI 3-8

(SRN NEWS)-

(  )  A German court has convicted a Syrian man of stabbing and seriously wounding a Spanish tourist at Berlin’s Holocaust Memorial just over a year ago, and sentenced him to 13 years in prison.  The 20-year-old defendant was convicted on charges including attempted murder and attempted membership in a foreign terrorist organization.  The Berlin district court found that he traveled from Leipzig to Berlin on February 21st, 2025 to carry out an attack in the name of ISIS.  The defendant arrived in Germany in 2023 as an unaccompanied minor and successfully applied for asylum.  Germany has admitted more than a million Muslim immigrants.

(  )  An independent researcher is asserting that a marble bust of Christ in a Roman church is by Michelangelo.  It’s the latest purported attribution to the Renaissance genius who is one of the most imitated artists in the world. Michelangelo focused on Biblical themes in his most famous work, including the iconic statue of David in Florence and the Sistine Chapel ceiling.  The unverified claim by Valentina Salerno about the bust in a Roman basilica follows the sale of a recent sketch attributed to Michelangelo for 27 million dollars at auction.  Experts say they will look into the claim about the bust, but a final conclusion may be elusive.

(  )  A new report says Rhode Island Catholic priests sexually abused hundreds of children for decades, while church leaders minimized the scandal.  Attorney General Peter Neroha (nuh-ROH-hah) released the report after a multiyear review.  It finds that at least 75 clergy had molested more than 300 victims since 1950.  The attorney general says church officials agreed to hand over records, but did not allow key people to be interviewed. The diocese, in response, says the report reflects its cooperation but misleads the public into thinking the problems are ongoing. Three current or former priests are awaiting trial.

(  )  Persecution of Christians is on the rise in Southeast Asia as Islam spreads.  A new report from International Christian Concern finds that “The persecution of Christians in the region is complex, damaging, and deep-rooted.  It includes direct, violent, and deadly attacks and incidents.  But it also involves immense, complex, and indirect pressure, discrimination, threats, intimidation, problematic laws, and social isolation.”  There are about 250 million Muslims across Southeast Asia, primarily in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines.  Indonesia now has the largest Muslim population in the world.