Israeli soldiers desecrate church in southern Lebanon in latest religious site incident
Nov 26, 2024
Israeli soldiers have come under fire after a video surfaced showing them desecrating a Christian church in southern Lebanon, marking the latest attack on a religious site amid rumors of an imminent truce in Lebanon.
The incident reportedly took place in Deir Mimas, near the border with Israel, and involved soldiers from the Israeli Defense Forces Golani Special Operations Unit.
The video, which began circulating widely online on Monday, depicts the soldiers performing a mock wedding ceremony inside the Orthodox church, sparking outrage across social media platforms.
The footage shows a male soldier, pretending to be a bride, wearing a hood and participating in a staged ritual led by another soldier using a disconnected microphone. The mock priest asked for the bride and groom’s names as the group laughed.
Continue reading at www.arabnews.com
Attacks on ancient church part of a deliberate assault on Gaza’s heritage
Nov 23, 2024
Over the past year, Israel has repeatedly targeted historical and cultural landmarks in the Gaza Strip in what appears a deliberate attempt at erasing Gaza’s rich heritage.
The Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Porphyrius, named after the first bishop of Gaza who is said to be buried in the courtyard, was bombed soon after the Israeli military attacks began in October 2023.
I visited this church in the al-Zaytoun neighborhood of the old city of Gaza in years past and always marveled at its tall stained-glass windows, which reflected the light in a way that can only be described as inducing a sense of spirituality.
The windows are adorned with religious depictions of saints and scenes from the Bible and with icons illustrating the ancient and modern history of Gaza.
The church dates back to the 5th century and is one of the oldest in the world. It boasts traditional Byzantine architecture consisting of a square structure with a domed roof. At its center is an apse topped by a large dome with a cross.
Continue reading at electronicintifada.net
We remind our readers that publication of articles on our site does not mean that we agree with what is written. Our policy is to publish anything which we consider of interest, so as to assist our readers in forming their opinions. Sometimes we even publish articles with which we totally disagree, since we believe it is important for our readers to be informed on as wide a spectrum of views as possible.
