Europe: the number of Christianized Muslim refugees is on the rise
According to the reports of the clergy of European churches who are in large-scale Christianizing, an increasingly growing number of Muslim refugees in Europe are getting Christianized. It is reported by The guardian.
A considerable amount of Muslims, who have migrated from the Middle East and Central Asia countries as a result of conflicts, reprisals or economic hardships, has been converted into Christianity. Reportedly, it can be caused by the sincere belief in a new religion. Apart from that, a lot of Muslims think conversion into a new faith is likely to raise the prospect of being granted asylum.
In spite of the absence of official statistics there is some evidence that the conversion incidence is burgeoning. The number of parishioners in the Holy Trinity church in the suburbs of Berlin has increased twice over the two years from 150 to 700 people owing to proselytes among the Muslim population, pastor Gottfried Martens informed.
The Catholic Church is reported to have accepted as many as 300 applications on taking baptism over the first quarter of 2016, of which 70% are presumably refugees. The Liverpool Council in England performs special weekly church services in Arabic, which are attended by 100 up to 140 church goers. Virtually all of them come from Iran, Afghanistan, and Central Asia countries.
Mohammad Egtedarian, vicar of the Liverpool cathedral and Iran refugee, who had been converted into Christianity and then inducted into a church office, told that the Church helps people to develop their faith, as well as to assist in applying for the refugee status. “These two factors are interwoven. Most people submit asylum applications based on their religion”, he said.
Bishop of Bradford Tobi Hovart believes “there are a lot of grounds to be Christianized, the most important one being mass migration of people from one country to another and growing world cohesion”, he said.
Read also
UOC Primate blesses special prayer rule for Great Lent
Metropolitan Onuphry blessed to pray for peace in Ukraine during Great Lent.
In Britain, Christians are no longer majority
According to a Pew Research Center study, the share of Christians in the United Kingdom has fallen below 50%.
His Beatitude Onuphry addresses flock before Great Lent
The Primate of the UOC blessed the faithful for the upcoming Great Lent.
Lavra Reserve complains to UNESCO about heating and power outage
International experts studied possible threats to the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra – from missile strikes to power and heating outages.
Konotop Eparchy Administration is under repair after shelling
The replacement of the windows damaged as a result of the shelling in the Church of All Saints and the building of the Konotop Eparchy has become possible thanks to donations from believers.
Priests and laity of Rivne Eparchy donate blood for children with cancer
In Rivne, the UOC clergy and laity have donated blood for children undergoing treatment for cancer.