Turkey says okay to Christian worship in birthplace of St. Paul

Anglican Journal: Turkey says okay to Christian worship in birthplace of St. Paul

The government of Turkey has agreed to extend indefinitely permission for Christian worship at an historic church in Tarsus, the birthplace of St. Paul, says the head of the country’s Roman Catholic bishops’ conference.

“I’m confident the church in Tarsus could soon change from being a museum to a centre of spiritual pilgrimage,” said Bishop Luigi Padovese, after the close of worldwide commemorations to mark the 2,000th anniversary of the birth of St. Paul.

Turkish PM promises reform to religious minorities

Turkish PM promises reform to religious minorities - washingtonpost.com

"It is now for us essential to embrace all 71.5 million of this nation's people in respect and love," he said, repeating his opposition to ethnic nationalism and saying his government kept an equal distance to all faiths.

"Are there shortcomings in implementation? There are. We will overcome these together in this struggle. I believe this democratic initiative will change many things in this country," he said in comments reported by broadcaster CNN Turk and confirmed by patriarchate official.

Turkish PM meets with Christian, Jewish minority leaders in Buyukada

Still no Protestant representation at these meetings.
WORLD BULLETIN- TURKEY, MUSLIMS, ISLAM, BALKANS, CAUCASUS [ Turkish PM meets with Christian, Jewish minority leaders in Buyukada ]

Turkey's PM Erdogan met with religious minority group delagates, accompanied with five cabinet ministers in a small island of Istanbul, Buyukada.

Everyone may be proud of own nationality in Turkey: Turkish prime-minister

Think we should hold him to this?


TREND: Everyone may be proud of own nationality in Turkey: Turkish prime-minister

"Everyone can be proud of own nationality in Turkey. Religious and ethnic discrimination has never existed and will never be present in Turkey, Erdogan added.

Turkey is the native land for everyone, who lives here, Erdogan said.

Turkish man assaulted for missionary activities

Turkish man assaulted for missionary activities < German news | Expatica Germany

A 24-year-old street seller assaulted a man on grounds he was proselytizing Christianity, holding a knife to his throat in downtown Istanbul before surrendering to police, newspapers reported Tuesday.

The incident, the latest in a string of religiously-motivated attacks in Turkey in recent years, happened Monday on a busy avenue in Istanbul's Kadikoy district, before the eyes of dozens of passers-by.

The assailant -- identified as 24-year-old pirate CD vendor Yasin Karasu -- wrapped a Turkish flag around the head of Ismail Aydin, 35, put a knife to his throat and shouted "This is Turkey, you cannot distribute Bibles here," the Haberturk newspaper said.

The stand-off lasted for 20 minutes before the police persuaded the assailant to surrender, according to the Sabah daily.

Karasu later told the police he was angry with Aydin for converting to Christianity and engaging in missionary activities, Sabah said, while the Vatan daily suggested the assailant was mentally disturbed.

Kadıköy mural brightens church wall and community

Kadıköy mural brightens church wall and community

Last week foreign and local artists put their brushes together to give a church wall and its neighborhood a facelift. Where graffiti once adorned the 27-meter stretch, now a collage of Kadıköy monuments remind passersby to slow down and enjoy all Kadiköy has to offer.