The Voice of the suffering in Middle East

For many children from poor or war-stricken communities, the summer camps and other activities are an opportunity to have fun and grow in the faith in a secure environment, accompanied by religious and Church animators. Almost 100,000 children this summer are benefiting from summer camps and other activities funded by pontifical charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN). For many years, ACN has helped local dioceses and Christian organizations set up and run camps for young people, especially those ...

Five years have passed since one of the most devastating moments in Lebanon’s recent history—the Beirut port explosion on August 4, 2020. The blast killed over 200 people, injured more than 7,000, and left entire neighborhoods in ruins. Around 300,000 people were left homeless. Yet amid the trauma and hardship, many Lebanese cling to faith, demonstrating their resilience. Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) spoke to four Lebanese Christians about how their lives have changed since that day, and ...

Church leaders have denounced new violent attacks on the last all-Christian town in the West Bank.  Extremist settlers entered the Palestinian town of Taybeh, to the east of Ramallah, on July 28, torching cars and spraying hostile graffiti.  The Patriarchs and Heads of Churches put out a statement on July 29, expressing their “profound concern” over what they say are recurring incidents. They said, “Several vehicles were set ablaze, and hateful graffiti was sprayed – an unambiguous act of intimidation ...

More than 600 young people in the Holy Land have been able to experience a week of fun and freedom, thanks to the local Church and the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN). This year, because of the escalation of the conflict between Israel and Iran, the opportunity to get away from the difficulties of their daily lives was even more important.   Every year, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem organizes summer camps in Palestine and Israel for ...

Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has received a new and moving testimony from Gaza, following the July 17 attack on the Catholic Church of the Holy Family, which left three people dead and more than ten wounded. Fr. Gabriel Romanelli, the parish priest of the local Catholic community, sent a message directly to the pontifical foundation, expressing his gratitude, but also his pain and unshakeable faith in the midst of the tragedy. “Here we are, after these terrible ...

The situation in the southern Syrian city of Suwayda, where fighting between different ethnic and religious communities has caused widespread bloodshed and suffering, remains dire. The attacks also affect Christian communities in the area.   Sources close to the charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) say that despite the serious risk, the Capuchin church of Jesus the King in the city of Suwayda has now become a shelter for some 250 people – between 60 and 70 families from ...