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Herald Malaysia
6 hours ago
- General
- Herald Malaysia
Thousands climb Ireland's Croagh Patrick for annual pilgrimage
Archbishop Duffy said hope grows through elders' faith in his message for Reek Sunday and the Jubilee Year Jul 29, 2025 Croagh Patrick, nicknamed 'the Reek' is a mountain with a height of 764 m and an important site of pilgrimage in County Mayo, Ireland. (Photo: Wikipedia) By Sarah Mac Donald, OSV NewsArchbishop Francis Duffy of Tuam put grandparents and the elderly at the heart of his message for the Jubilee Year's "Reek Sunday" pilgrimage at Ireland's holy mountain, Croagh Patrick, on July his homily on the eve of the pilgrimage, the archbishop told the congregation in St. Mary's Church in Westport, County Mayo, that it was "providential" that the pilgrimage, which takes place every year on the last Sunday in July, coincided this year with World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. Over 6,000 pilgrims, from before dawn until late Sunday afternoon, made the 2,500-foot climb of the Reek, as Croagh Patrick is popularly known locally. Many had traveled long distances from the surrounding counties to participate. "The pilgrim path to the summit of the Reek has been made holy by the feet of those who have walked it before us, people who often had very little except for their faith and the virtue of hope that faith generated within them," Archbishop Duffy said. Describing the importance of hope in this Jubilee year, he said an important channel for building hope was "the example and encouragement of older people." The archbishop of Tuam noted that for many Catholics around the world, pilgrimage is in the air this year, because of the Jubilee Year of Hope. "Here, locally in Westport, there is a familiarity with pilgrimage, with the majestic presence of Croagh Patrick, 'the Reek,'" he explained. Speaking to OSV News in the shadow of the mountain where St. Patrick is reputed to have spent 40 days fasting in the fifth century, Archbishop Duffy said the mountain is "part of the living history of this beautiful area." Among the pilgrims undertaking the arduous climb for the first time was Dominican Father Fons Wilmes from Leuven in Belgium, who was wearing his white habit. "I have done the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela all the way from Belgium. This is much shorter, but I expect it to be rather challenging. Pilgrimages are an important part of our faith -- we walk together and pray together as we reach our goal together," he told OSV Dominican undertaking the climb, though in his bare feet, was Brother Bruno Mary Kelleher from Kilkenny who was ordained a deacon for the Dominicans in Ireland in June. He was wearing the distinctive black and white of the Order of that his habit was "not ideal hiking gear," the young friar underlined that "we are not just going on a hike here -- it is a pilgrimage. The habit is an opportunity to bear witness and an opportunity for people to dialogue with me and ask questions. There are plenty of people here today doing this out of a faith motivation, but there are also many who are doing it for cultural reasons or the exercise. The Dominicans are the Order of Preachers so every moment is an opportunity to preach the Word."Twenty-one-year-old Catherine Cooney from Newtownforbes in County Longford is a student of agricultural science. When OSV News spoke to her, she was carrying a box of rosaries and holy medals for the Legion of Mary to distribute from the organization's stand at the base of the too, was undertaking the climb in her bare feet. "I have done the climb many times; I think it is something that should be done by everyone. Afterwards, I feel like I am taken care of by Our Lady," she many undertake the pilgrimage on their own, others do it as a family unit or as part of a couple. Both Scott Goodwin from Great Britain and Jean Picardao from the Philippines wore rosary beads for the pilgrimage. The couple plan to marry in the Philippines next year following their engagement in February."Jean came over from the Philippines to work in the U.K. three years ago and we met online through a Catholic friendship page. We met in person in a church for our first date," Goodwin explained. "This is our first pilgrimage together and it is partly a preparation for getting married next year. We can see God in everything we do and that he is walking with us and guiding us on all his paths," he
Herald Malaysia
4 days ago
- Politics
- Herald Malaysia
Archbishop Pérez, son of migrants, tells migrants: ‘You are not alone'
'You are not alone,' said Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez of Philadelphia — the son of Cuban exiles — addressing migrants in a July 23 pastoral letter on immigration. A participant holds a sign during a Jan. 25, 2025, interfaith rally in support of immigrants at Love Park in downtown Philadelphia (OSV News photo/Gina Christian) Among the administration's efforts are terminating protected status for migrants from several conflict-wrought nations; fully or partly banning travel to the U.S. from several nations; ordering Immigration and Customs Enforcement to meet daily arrest quotas of 3,000; halting visa interviews for foreign students; attempting to end birthright citizenship; and deporting individuals without permanent legal status in the U.S. to third countries in defiance of court orders. Individuals With No Criminal Record While the administration claims to target criminal actors in its sweeps, several high-profile arrests and deportations have impacted individuals with no demonstrated criminal record. Some 71.5% (40,643) of the 56,813 held in ICE detention as of July 13 have no criminal conviction, other than entering the U.S. without permission, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University. The TRAC team also noted that 'many of those convicted committed only minor offenses, including traffic violations. Following through on a campaign pledge, President Donald Trump has sought to purge the nation of what Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has called 'criminal' and 'illegal aliens.' Archbishop Pérez's letter — posted in both English and Spanish to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia's media outlet — adds to a growing chorus from U.S. Catholic prelates who have expressed grave concerns over the Trump administration's crackdown on immigration to the U.S. Need Policy Blending 'Dignity, Mercy, Justice' The archbishop's reflection follows a Jan. 30 statement in which he called for 'serious and carefully thought out immigration policy reforms … that will blend dignity, mercy, and justice.' The archbishop assured migrants that 'the Church is a community of faith, and the divine person of Christ, who was forced to flee his homeland as a child, holds you in his compassionate arms.' Among those who have so far spoken out against the Trump administration's iron-fisted approach are Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. military archdiocese, who is president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops; Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles, who called for prayer and for restraint amid violent clashes in that city over immigration arrests; Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski of Miami, whose archdiocese is home to large expatriate Haitian and Cuban communities and who recently led prayer outside the controversial Alligator Alcatraz migrant detention facility located in the Venice Diocese; and San Diego Bishop Michael M. Pham, who was born in Vietnam and fled to the U.S. as a 13-year-old refugee in 1980, along with his older sister and younger brother. 'Produced a Great Deal of Fear' 'Recent news reports detailing the arrest of immigrants throughout the country, including the Philadelphia region, have produced a great deal of fear and unleashed a broad range of other emotions. These events have impacted the migrant community in deeply troubling ways,' said Archbishop Pérez in his July 23 letter. 'I am witnessing your sorrow with great sadness and concern as are people of goodwill from all walks of life,' he said, adding, 'As the son of immigrants, I have found recent events particularly heartbreaking.' The 64-year-old archbishop said in a February 2020 Spanish-language interview with Telemundo 62, 'Yo digo que fui hecho en Cuba, pero desempaquetado en Miami' ('I was conceived in Cuba, but born (literally, 'unpacked') in Miami'). His parents, David and Emma Pérez, had fled Cuba, where in 1959 the dictatorship of President Fulgencio Batista fell to what would become the first communist regime in the Western hemisphere under Premier Fidel Castro. Shortly after their arrival in Miami, the Pérez family relocated to northern New Jersey, where the future archbishop, born in 1961, was raised. Catholic Social Teaching on Immigration In his July 23 letter, Archbishop Pérez highlighted Catholic social teaching on immigration, which seeks to balance three interrelated principles — the right of people to migrate in order to sustain their lives and those of their families, the right of a country to regulate its borders and control immigration, and a nation's duty to regulate its borders with justice and mercy. The Catechism of the Catholic Church also instructs that 'the more prosperous nations are obliged, to the extent they are able, to welcome the foreigner in search of the security and the means of livelihood which he cannot find in his country of origin' (Catechism, 2241). 'As Catholics, we believe our eternal homeland is heaven, and that as citizens of earth, the dignity of every person means everyone should have a safe place to live, with the opportunity to work for a just wage,' said Archbishop Pérez in his pastoral letter. 'Many of you came to the United States seeking new opportunities far away from oppressive regimes and endured difficult and dangerous circumstances to start life anew here.' 'Your Presence, Contributions Are a Blessing' He said, 'Your presence and your contributions to society through hard work and upright living are a blessing to our country and to our Church.' 'No one should be forced to live in fear of unjust persecution,' he said. 'I encourage you to remain close with the members of your parish communities and the priests who provide you with pastoral care,' said Archbishop Pérez. That exhortation comes as at least two U.S. dioceses have publicly addressed fears of immigration arrests at parishes. Bishop Alberto Rojas of San Bernardino, California, issued a July 8 dispensation from the Sunday Mass obligation for those with a genuine fear of ICE raids. In May, the Diocese of Nashville, Tennessee, released a message, disseminated to diocesan parishes, reminding the faithful that according to the church's own teaching and canon law, they are not required to attend Sunday Mass if they fear for their well-being. Advocating for Protection of Life, Liberty 'We recognize that our country is rightly safeguarded by law enforcement officials. They uphold the common good by protecting all of us from human trafficking, the exploitation of children, and any other criminal offense against human dignity,' wrote Archbishop Pérez. 'At the same time, we strongly advocate for immigration policies that guarantee the protection of life, liberty, and property of all those who call the United States of America home, natural born citizens and those working toward citizenship alike.' Noting that 'there is no instant solution to the challenges pervading immigration policy,' he said, 'I urge everyone in parish communities to unite through prayer and social unity with the immigrant faithful under the leadership of parish pastors.' Archbishop Pérez concluded his letter with a prayer for migrants and for the nation as a whole. 'The Blessed Mother and Saint Joseph cared for the child Jesus in the mystery of the flight into Egypt and their intercession is with us today. I pray with you and for you that you experience the protection of God,' he said. 'May our Lord bless our country with peace and inspire comprehensive immigration reform that respects the law and provides meaningful opportunities for all those who wish to call the United States of America their home.'--OSV news
Herald Malaysia
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Herald Malaysia
Iraq archbishop warns of the grave consequences of conflict
Christianity's disappearance from its birthplace irreversible without action now, says Bashar M. Warda of Irbril Jun 24, 2025 Chaldean Catholic Archbishop Bashar M. Warda of Irbil. (Photo: Youtube) By Gina Christian, OSV News A Chaldean archbishop told OSV News June 23 that he has been unable to contact his fellow bishop in Iran, following recent strikes by the US and Israel on various sites in that nation. Chaldean Catholic Archbishop Bashar M. Warda of Irbil, Iraq, said he has been attempting to call fellow Chaldean Catholic Archbishop Imad Khoshabeh of Tehran over the past few days, but without success. "I cannot reach [him]. I tried many times, and I will keep calling," said Archbishop Warda. He also warned of the grave consequences of conflict, speaking from direct experience. In 2014, Islamic State group fighters launched a devastating wave of attacks against religious minorities in northern Iraq, seizing Mosul and the surrounding Nineveh Plains. Christians and Yazidis, an ancient Indigenous community, fled toward Irbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, with thousands of Yazidi women and girls who were sexually enslaved by IS militants. Now, as Israel and Iran trade strikes amid the former's "Operation Rising Lion" -- and with the US launching June 21 attacks on three of Iran's nuclear facilities -- Archbishop Warda pleaded for an end to the escalating violence. "As someone who has witnessed firsthand the devastation that war leaves behind -- how it empties villages, scatters families, and deepens the wounds of identity and trust -- I cannot help but echo the words of Pope Leo XIV in his recent appeal for peace," Archbishop Warda said. "His voice is a beacon of conscience in a world increasingly deafened by the noise of weapons." The archbishop added, "War has never brought us lasting peace. "We know this by heart. Here in Iraq, we carry the memory of shattered cities and displaced people," he said. "Each new conflict reopens old wounds and threatens to erase what remains of our fragile presence [as a Christian minority] in this land." Instead, said Archbishop Warda, "It is time to stop the war machine. Time to return to dialogue, to diplomacy, to the hard but hopeful work of negotiation." The Middle East, ravaged by conflict for centuries -- with continuous clashes over the past half century in particular -- "does not need more destruction," said Archbishop Warda. "It needs healing. It needs space for its people to breathe again, to believe again, to build again." He clarified that he was speaking "not just as a bishop, but as a man from this wounded land [of Iraq]," which although an overwhelmingly Muslim majority nation has been home to Christian communities for some 2,000 years, having been evangelized by St. Thomas the Apostle and his disciples. Iraq was "a land where Christians once thrived, where faith and culture were deeply woven into the soil," said Archbishop Ward. "Today, that soil is dry and cracked, not only by the heat of the sun, but by the fire of violence and fear." "Our prayers are with -- and for -- all civilians caught in the crossfire of this conflict … the innocent who fall daily, dead or wounded … the displaced who have been forced to leave behind their homes, their dreams, their loved ones," he said. "As Christians, we do not pray only for our own, but for every human being whose dignity is being crushed under the weight of war." He cautioned that "if the world does not act now, if the international community does not insist on peace, the slow disappearance of Christianity from its birthplace may become irreversible." At the same time, said Archbishop Warda, "We are not without hope. Hope is what we teach our young people here every day. Hope is what gives our families the courage to stay. And hope is what I choose to hold on to now." He added, "Please pray with us. And if [you] can be a voice for peace -- through prayer, advocacy, or solidarity -- I would be deeply grateful."--
Herald Malaysia
10-06-2025
- General
- Herald Malaysia
Rupnik's mosaics quietly removed from Vatican News
The move is seen as an overdue sign of hope and healing for survivors of his alleged decades-long abuse Jun 10, 2025 A mosaic designed by Father Marko Rupnik's studio Centro Aletti at the Basilica of the Sanctuary of Lourdes, France. (Photo: UCAN Files) By Paulina Guzik, OSV News In a quiet but powerful move, Vatican News has begun removing artwork by Father Marko Rupnik -- the once-renowned mosaicist now accused of abusing over two dozen women -- from its website. His mosaics, long used to mark major feast days online, were recently replaced or left blank -- a shift many survivors say is long removed mosaics include one for the June 9 memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, and one that illustrated the feast of the Assumption Aug. 15."I can't tell you how hopeful of a sign it is for me," said Weronika, whose name was changed and who is a victim of abuse by a Polish Dominican priest. "I saw it immediately and simply felt relieved," she told OSV News, adding: "you don't even know how much this gesture means to me. That the victims' pain was heard at last." Since the allegations were revealed, calls to remove the priest's artwork have grown, including from victims who said the mosaics were a painful reminder of the abuse they suffered. One victim, identified as Sister Samuelle, recounted that she was abused by Father Rupnik while installing one of his mosaics. A number of shrines that featured his work have taken steps to either cover or limit the public display and use of Father Rupnik's mosaics since the abuse revelations were made public. The St. John Paul II National Shrine in Washington as well as the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary in the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, France, opted to cover or partially cover the mosaics out of respect for his victims. OSV News asked the Vatican's Press Office whether removing Father Rupnik's art from Vatican News is a coordinated effort and is awaiting an answer. Mosaics to be or not to be? In June 2024, on the final day of the Catholic Media Conference in Atlanta, the prefect of the Vatican's Dicastery for Communication addressed questions posed by America's Colleen Dulle and OSV News about the dicastery's regular practice of posting art by Father Rupnik on the Vatican News website and social media, especially to illustrate church feast days. "As Christian(s), we are asked not to judge," Paolo Ruffini said to a room full of communications professionals after giving an address at the CMC June 21, 2024. He explained that while the process of a Vatican investigation into Father Rupnik is still ongoing, "an anticipation of a decision is something that is not, in our opinion, is not good." "There are things we don't understand," he said. Ruffini also added they "did not put in any new photos" of Father Rupnik's art, but rather have been using what they had. "We didn't decide what was not on our charge to decide," he Father Rupnik's art from public space "is not a Christian response," Ruffini said. "We are not talking about abuse of minors," Ruffini said at the CMC. "We are talking (about) a story that we don't know." "I don't think we have to throw stones thinking that this is the way of healing," the prefect added."Do you think that if I put away a photo of an art (away) from … our website, I will be more close to the victims? Do you think so?" he pressed journalists at the end of his answer. When an answer was given in the affirmative, Ruffini responded: "I think you're wrong." Five days later, in a separate June 26 communication, Cardinal Seán P. O'Malley of Boston, president of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, told the dicasteries of the Vatican Curia that Father Rupnik is currently under Vatican investigation and entitled to the presumption of innocence. However, he made clear that "pastoral prudence would prevent displaying artwork in a way that could imply either exoneration or a subtle defense" of a person alleged to have committed abuse, "or indicate indifference to the pain and suffering of so many victims of abuse." Father Rupnik's case investigated for over 500 days Father Rupnik, a former Jesuit, was briefly excommunicated by the church in 2020 for absolving an Italian novice with whom he had sex. The excommunication was lifted after he repented. The Jesuits disclosed in December 2022 that it had suspended the Slovenian artist after allegations of abuse had surfaced. In June 2023, Father Rupnik was expelled from the Jesuits for refusing to obey restrictions imposed upon him related to the sexual, spiritual and psychological abuse of some two dozen women and at least one man over the course of 30 years. Despite the credibility of the accusations and his dismissal from the Jesuits, the Diocese of Koper in the priest's native Slovenia announced it had incardinated Father Rupnik in its diocese. After the diocese confirmed in October 2023 that the priest had been there since August, the Vatican announced that Pope Francis had lifted the statute of limitations, allowing the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith to proceed in its investigation and eventual case. In a statement published in October 2023, the Vatican said the decision was made after "the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors brought to the pope's attention that there were serious problems in the handling of the Father Marko Rupnik case and lack of outreach to victims."The canonical process of Father Rupnik is ongoing. "The sentence is expected in the not too distant future," a source told OSV News in the retired bishop of the Diocese of Koper, where Father Rupnik was incardinated in August 2023, told OSV News in February that the priest 'continues his work all over the world.'Father Rupnik's case is one of the most urgent cases on the table for the new pope to handle in canonical terms, abuse experts Father Hans Zollner, director of the Institute of Anthropology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, and a top expert on the abuse crisis, told OSV News upon the election of Pope Leo XIV: 'I do hope that, as soon as possible, we will have a verdict. Many of us are looking forward to hearing about that, because it has been a very long time, especially for those who have brought forward the allegations -- so that finally there will be clarity about this,' Father Zollner said. For any pope, he added, the issue of abuse is critical, as it becomes "a question of the credibility of our existence and our message."--ucanews
Herald Malaysia
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Herald Malaysia
Religious freedom in Russia continues to decline: experts
Even theological disagreement within the Russian Orthodox Church is silenced, says a Russian-born scholar Jun 05, 2025 President Vladimir Putin with Kremlin-controlled religious leaders during the official celebrations of the National Unity Day on Nov. 4, 2023. (Photo: Wikipedia) By Gina Christian, OSV News As Pope Leo XIV highlights the need for interreligious dialogue and diplomacy, religious liberty in Russia continues to decline, with the US International Religious Freedom Commission citing that nation's intensified use of blasphemy laws to silence freedom of expression. At the same time, a Russian-born scholar told OSV News that even theological disagreement within the Russian Orthodox Church is silenced. In May, Pope Leo stressed to Vatican-accredited diplomats that interreligious dialogue can foster peace, with such exchange first requiring "full respect for religious freedom in every country, since religious experience is an essential dimension of the human person." But a month earlier, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom issued an update on Russia's "intensified" enforcement of its laws against what the commission called "perceived offensive expression toward religion, religious texts, and religious leaders." The commission -- which defines blasphemy as "the act of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence for God or sacred things" -- noted that under international human rights law, "freedom of religion or belief includes the right to express a full range of thoughts and beliefs, including those that others might find blasphemous." The law protects the rights of individuals, not "religious feelings, figures or symbols from behavior or speech considered blasphemous," said USCIRF. As a result, said the commission, "while certain offensive statements and actions may warrant public rebuke, prosecuting perceived offensive expression toward religion violates the right to freedom of religion or belief and the right to freedom of opinion and expression under international human rights law." In Russia, the two laws commonly invoked to prosecute blasphemy -- one criminal, one civil -- have been used to enforce compliance with the government of Russian President Vladimir Putin, which has leveraged the nation's predominantly Russian Orthodox religious identity and what it calls "traditional values" to rally the nation against the West. "For years, President Putin has championed his interpretation of 'traditional values' to oppose the West on human rights and justify his authoritarian practices, which include systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom," said USCIRF. USCIRF said that the use of the blasphemy laws has accelerated with Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which began in 2022 and continues attacks initiated in 2014. Dmitry Dubrovskiy, a researcher from the Institute for International Studies at Charles University in Prague, told OSV News that Russia's blasphemy laws also work in an indirect, but no less effective, way. "It's not so important how many people are being fined or prosecuted -- what is much more important is how many people are prevented from doing something because they're afraid of being prosecuted," explained Dubrovskiy, a former associate professor at Moscow's Higher School of Economics until March 2022, when he was declared a "foreign agent" in Russia and left the country. Dubrovskiy said the prosecution of those deemed to violate Russia's blasphemy laws sends "a message" that certain groups are "second-rate humans." At the same time, he said, "the message about the peculiar character of the Russian Orthodox Church in general" is that "it's totally untouchable" as "the highest level of authority, and not for discussion," although the church has only traditionally, rather than formally, been declared Russia's state church. In its 2025 World Watch List, the nonprofit Open Doors International -- which aids persecuted Christians in more than 70 countries -- said that amid a climate of "dictatorial paranoia" that fuels Russia's persecution of some religious groups, "the Russian Orthodox churches experience the least problems from the government" among Christian organizations. "The government continues to favor the Russian Orthodox Church at the expense of other Christian groups," while "Jehovah Witnesses have been banned since 2017," said the report. "After the start of the war in Ukraine in February 2022 state surveillance has increased, including the monitoring of non-ROC (Russian Orthodox Church) Christians." Open Doors also said in its report that "state agents at various levels carry out surveillance and impose restrictions," with Russia's legislation "being adapted and bringing in new restrictions constantly. All over Russia, local communities oppose openly evangelistic activities carried out by Protestant Christians." In October, the Russian government also put forth a draft law banning religious services in residential buildings. Dubrovskiy pointed to his research on the "expert opinions" used in classifying religious groups in Russia as "extremist" -- a practice that dates from Soviet times. He has found that such experts are increasingly selected not for their knowledge of religion, but of extremism, with little understanding of faith communities' practices and an inclination to label groups harshly. Priests of the Russian Orthodox Church -- which has openly supported that nation's war on Ukraine, with Patriarch Kirill declaring soldiers killed in action as absolved from sin -- have been expelled and imprisoned for expressing their dissent over the invasion, even on religious grounds. Among those who have been incarcerated is Hieromonk Ioann Kurmoyarov, whose YouTube videos criticizing the Russian government's aggression in Ukraine resulted in a three-year prison sentence, imposed in 2023, for sharing "fake news" about the Russian military. Speaking out against the Russian Orthodox Church itself is a danger, said Dubrovskiy. "All the Russian (Orthodox) priests who have ever criticized the church are being excommunicated or expelled," he said, adding that while theological debate by nature entails a level of disagreement, "there is no such thing as discussion" within the Russian Orthodox Church, which strives to "discipline the people to believe and to follow the instructions of the patriarch." Religious persecution is also experienced among Russia's Muslims, who make up close to 11% of the population, according to Open Doors. Clashes between Islamic militant groups and the government in certain areas have caused many ethnic Russians, largely Christian, to flee. In the same Muslim-majority regions, Christians with Muslim backgrounds face persecution from family, friends and the local community. OSV News is awaiting a response to its request for comment from the apostolic nuncio to Russia, Archbishop Giovanni d'Aniello, on the status of religious freedom in Russia In Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine, officials have cracked down harshly on religious groups, destroying houses of worship and seizing church buildings while imprisoning, torturing and killing clergy. In the partially-occupied region of Zaporizhzhia, Russian officials banned the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, the Knights of Columbus and Caritas -- the international humanitarian aid network of the universal Catholic Church. Two UGCC priests, Father Ivan Levitsky and Father Bohdan Geleta, were abducted from their former Zaporizhzhia region parishes and released through Vatican mediation in June 2024, after 18 months of captivity and torture. Despite the Russian government's zealous crackdown on non-Russian Orthodox faith communities, and the nation's majority-Orthodox populace, Russian society as a whole is not especially religious, said Dubrovskiy. Instead, "a substantial amount of Russians definitely consider their Orthodoxy as a cultural identity," he said, noting that just "approximately 3-7% of the Russian population regularly visit a church."--
