Category: Africa

  • Israel/Palestine: Statement by the High Representative on the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice

    The European Union takes good note of the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice in respect of the “Legal Consequences arising from the Policies and Practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem”, reaching the following conclusions:

    • the State of Israel’s continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is unlawful and needs to be brought to an end as rapidly as possible;
    • the State of Israel is under an obligation to cease immediately all new settlement activities, and to evacuate all settlers from the Occupied Palestinian Territory;
    • all States are under an obligation not to recognise as legal this situation and not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by this unlawful presence.

    These conclusions are largely consistent with EU positions, which are themselves fully aligned on UN resolutions regarding the status of the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

    In a world of constant and increasing violations of international law, it is our moral duty to reafirm our unwavering commitment to all ICJ decisions in a consistent manner, irrespective of the subject in question.

    The ICJ Advisory Opinion will need to be analysed more thoroughly, including in view of its implications for EU policy.

  • Bishop Chrysostom (Maydonis): The actions of the ROC have turned the church in Rwanda into ruins

    In February 2024, the Bishop of Bukoba and Western Tanzania Chrysostom (Maydonis) of the Patriarchate of Alexandria took over the interim leadership of the newly established Diocese of Rwanda. For the first months of his ministry, the famous missionary spoke with pain about the destruction of the Orthodox mission in this African country:

    “Many local churches of the Patriarchate of Alexandria suffered from the incursion of the Russian Church into our jurisdiction, which led to serious consequences. But in Rwanda, where the Orthodox Church was very young, the result is painful, while in the larger African countries the consequences are not so visible. In Rwanda, the Orthodox mission was started in 2012 by the respected former Bishop of Burundi and Rwanda Innocent. The aged bishop, having two countries under his jurisdiction, made great efforts to root Orthodoxy in this troubled country. In recent years, it has attracted many supporters of the church mission from Greece, but also clergy and laity from Romania and neighboring Congo.

    The organization “Christ in Africa” ​​from Romania helped the Orthodox mission in the country with volunteers and financially. Clergymen arrived from Romania who settled there and helped effectively by building temples and carrying out missionary work. Gradually local priests were also ordained and Orthodoxy became known in Rwanda. And so, this young church tried to hold on until the wild stream of the “Russian world” swept it away and turned it into ruins. Of the local ten priests and three deacons, six priests and one deacon were forcibly torn from their church by buying their conscience with a higher salary. Four priests and two deacons remained. The Christians scattered. Orthodoxy weakened, lost the trust of the Rwandan state and society, and the old ailing bishop mourned over the ruins of his cause. That is why Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria elevated Rwanda to a diocese and sent a patriarchal representative from the neighboring diocese of Bukoba to try to restore this church. These are the results of discords and civil wars, which unfortunately are not unknown to our mother – the holy Orthodox Church, whose body is covered with wounds by her senseless children! The remaining “little flock” will be the “dough” for the unification of this nation and this land with the One, holy, conciliar and apostolic Church of Christ. We believe that the Crucified and Resurrected Lord will resurrect His Orthodox Church from the grave of discord, will also resurrect the Church in Rwanda and drive the horror out of Africa.”

    Note: Bishop Chrysostom (Maydonis) is a very active missionary priest, known in many Orthodox churches. As an archimandrite, he works in the dioceses of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, especially where bishops who are monks from the Holy Mountain serve. He was helping the Orthodox mission in the Congo at the invitation of the local Metropolitan Nicephorus, brother of the Small “St. Anna” hermitage of Mount Athos. He also led the anti-sectarian activity of the Metropolitanate of Thessaloniki.

  • Newly discovered Greco-Roman tombs in Egypt shed light on diseases in antiquity

    An Egyptian-Italian archaeological expedition has discovered 33 Greco-Roman family tombs on the west bank of the Nile in the southern city of Aswan, Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Monuments announced.

    The find sheds light on the diseases that the region’s inhabitants suffered from during this era.

    The newly discovered tombs are part of a funerary complex, spread over ten terraced levels, dating from the 6th century BC. to the 3rd century AD Some of them have arched entrances preceded by brick-walled courtyards, while others are carved straight into the rocks.

    Among the finds are the remains of mummies, fragments of colorful terracotta figures, sarcophagi of stone and wood, tables for offering gifts.

    The scientists performed anthropological and radiological analyzes to determine the sex, age and possible illnesses and injuries of the tomb owners.

    It turns out that between 30 and 40 percent of those buried in the complex were very young – from newborns to young adults.

    Some of them suffered from infectious diseases or metabolic disorders. Signs of anemia, nutritional deficiencies, tuberculosis, osteoarthritis were found.

    Photo: Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Monuments of Egypt.